The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce has raised concerns over repeated tax audits, compliance documentation timelines and border efficiency in an engagement with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, highlighting unresolved issues between tax administration and the cost of doing business.
The ZNCC Harare Branch Executive Committee, led by Dr Onai Muvingi, met ZIMRA representatives, in an engagement involving the authority’s domestic taxes department.
ZNCC said the meeting allowed it to advance “key issues raised by its members, including repeated audits on previously concluded tax periods, audit documentation timelines, trusted trader frameworks, VAT self-billing arrangements, border efficiency, and the adoption of digital technologies to enhance tax administration and ease compliance.”
Repeated audits of previously concluded periods are particularly significant for businesses because they can create uncertainty over tax obligations and increase the administrative burden of maintaining records and responding to investigations. However, ZNCC’s statement did not specify how frequently such audits occur or whether ZIMRA agreed to review the practice.
ZIMRA reported registering “over 21,350 new taxpayers during the second quarter” and encouraged the private sector to embrace its Tax and Revenue Management System and other digital compliance platforms.
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The authority said the platforms could improve “efficiency, transparency, and voluntary compliance.”
While expanding the tax base is important for government revenue, the concerns raised by ZNCC show that bringing more businesses into the formal tax system must be accompanied by predictable procedures and efficient administration. Digital platforms may simplify compliance, but they do not automatically resolve disputes over audit timelines, repeated investigations or delays at border posts.
ZNCC said the meeting reinforced “the importance of continued collaboration between the tax authority and the business community in promoting a conducive operating environment.”
The chamber added that it “remains committed to representing the interests of its members through continuous dialogue with key stakeholders,” with the stated aim of supporting investment, competitiveness, compliance, and sustainable economic growth.
However, ZIMRA made no specific commitments to address the concerns, nor did it set deadlines for resolving them.
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