By Nigel Pfunde, recently in Mutare
MUTARE – Customs clearance at Forbes Border Post has been paralysed over the weekend following a nationwide collapse of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) online system, leaving trucks stranded and perishable goods to rot and Beitbridge post was also affected.
Forbes, one of the country’s busiest entry points for goods from Mozambique, was hard hit with scores of haulage trucks stuck on both sides of the border.
Truck drivers who spoke to Express Mail Zim at the border over the weekend said some perishables were getting rotten as clearing agents failed to process duties for three days.
ZIMRA has since reverted to the much slower and cumbersome manual clearing after its Asycuda World system – which enables pre-clearance of goods collapsed.
The authority admitted to intermittent connectivity challenges in a public notice.
ZIMRA said:
“The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) advises its clients and stakeholders that intermittent connectivity challenges are affecting the availability of some of its systems, resulting in delays in some customs clearance transactions.
Affected clients are encouraged to remain in contact with their clearing agents and the relevant Customs offices for guidance on available contingency arrangements.
Any inconvenience is sincerely regretted and efforts are underway to restore full services as soon as possible.”
This reporter witnessed queues of trucks destined for Zimbabwe were reported to be building at the port, with ZIMRA said to be prioritizing fuels, gases and perishables for manual clearance.
Clearing agents who spoke to this publication said:
“We are taken aback because some of our shipments have deadlines at their destinations and the inconvenience has affected our clients,” said Tozie Bhake a clearing agent for a major logistics company based in the border town.
