The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) has requested information from the government regarding the revenue generated from the sugar tax and whether those funds have been used for their intended purposes, reported NewsDay.

In a recent letter to the information officer of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion, ZADHR’s lawyers, Kantor & Immerman, cited section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act [Chapter 10:33] as the basis for their request. Reads the letter:

(We request) an account of how much special surtax on sugar content in beverages has been collected from the date of gazetting of SI 16/24, the Customs and Excise (Tariff) (Amendment) Notice, 2024 (No 5) on February 9, 2024, to date.

(We request) an account of what cancer drugs and equipment have been procured to date and to which hospitals these have been distributed.

Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga has acknowledged receipt of ZADHR’s letter and assured that a response will be forthcoming. He wrote to the lawyers:

I refer to the above captioned. I write this letter in terms of section 7(2) of the Freedom of Information Act [Chapter 10:33] (the Act) I acknowledge that your request in terms of section 7(1) of the Act was received by my office on November 25, 2024.

You shall be furnished with my response within the timelines prescribed by law.

In the 2024 national budget, Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube introduced a tax of US$0.02 per gram of sugar in beverages.

However, following complaints from manufacturers, this was revised to US$0.002 and will be further reduced to US$0.0005 starting January 1, 2025.

In July, Health and Childcare Miniter Douglas Mombeshora said that the Treasury had generated US$8 million from the sugar tax, which was intended for purchasing cancer treatment machines, supplies, and medications.

By September, Ncube informed Parliament that the total revenue collected from the sugar tax had risen to US$18 million.

More: Pindula News