In a bid to curb rent-seeking and leakages at the continent’s busiest land border, the government of Zimbabwe has announced it will tighten security at the Beitbridge border post, the Chronicle reports.
According to State security minister Owen Ncube smuggling of different kinds of wares are being smuggled into the country and they are costing the country $1 billion in unpaid duties annually.
Speaking after touring the border yesterday, Ncube said:
This can’t go on forever. We are here today with all heads of security in the country.
We have seen and noted where the leakages are coming from and we are going to be addressing the issues with immediate effect. We want to seal all the porous routes/areas between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The country is losing a lot of revenue in customs duty to well organised syndicates and let those involved in such vices know that the honeymoon will soon be over
Ncube said they will upgrade the border’s security system quickly to ensure that security is tightened at the border during the festive season which usually draws a huge crowd of over 20 000 Zimbabweans coming home for the Christmas holiday.
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