Ezera Madzivanyika

The paper analyzes the Zimbabwean VAT system. The main objective was to establish and evaluate the gaps within the Zimbabwean VAT system, with the view of closing them so that the Zimbabwean VAT is attuned to the dictates of the best practice VAT. A review of literature was used and the main sources of information were the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, the South African Revenue Services, literature from various journal articles and books and various reports and legislative instruments. The key finding of the study was that the Zimbabwean VAT system falls short of both the South African and best practice VATs. The main reasons for the gap are; a narrow VAT base fuelled by rampant VAT zero-rates and exemptions; it defies the destination principle; it does not conform to the principle of tax neutrality and tax simplicity; and it has high costs of collection and compliance. The study recommends that the Zimbabwean VAT system should be aligned to the best practice VAT through streamlining VAT privileges and correctly implementing the destination principle. Adequate funding should be allocated to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in order to embrace the Information Communication Technology (ICT) drive to reduce costs of compliance and collection.

This paper analyzes the effects of customs duty incentives on customs revenue mobilization for the period 2009 to 2014. It employs both cross-sectional and panel data regression analysis using firm-level data obtained for a sample of 35 firms in Zimbabwe’s mining sector. The data were collected from Zimbabwe Revenue Authority’s Asycuda World System. The results from the two separate models confirm that customs duty incentives (rebates and preferential tariff rates) had negative effects on customs revenues for the period 2009 to 2014. The study, therefore, recommends an urgent need to streamline customs duty incentives granted to importers of goods meant for use in the mining sector