The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission is the butt of many jokes in Zimbabwe ad it seems with each passing day they are in the news for the wrong reason. Recently one of it’s higher-ups was dismissed by the president for what can only be described as corruption or as the authorities would prefer to call it-gross misconduct. In a bid to appear like they are doing something ZACC is now going after cross border buses.

PRESS RELEASE

20 APRIL 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ZACC IMPOUNS NINE BUSES FOR SUPSECTED SMUGGLING
Nine buses have been impounded by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commision (ZACC) in the on-going anti-smuggling operation.
The exercise as launched on 14 April 2022 following several credible reports by whistleblowers of rampant smuggling activites by some cross-border bus crews.
Some of the smuggled goods found on these buses include an assortment of alcoholic drinks, blankets, bags containing new clothes, shoes, washing powder and energy drinks worth hundreds of thousands of United States Dollars.
The bus crews and passengers faile dot produce ZIMRA decleration forms.
The contraband was found in the followig buses:
MB Transport (AFJ 0588, trailer ABS 1582) driven by Revai Kazangarare
Urban Connect (AEU 7344)
Bless It Up Motors (AFQ 2435)
Pangolin Transport (ACE 2551,trailer AAS 6476)
DRD Luxury Coaches (FF94YT GP, trailer JY94PK GP)
MCB Transporter (AFJ 0588)
Four Lions (ACE 4735, trailer ACQ 9725)
Empire Tours (APCJ 5191, trailer AEZ 6969)
Trip Trans (AEZ6383, trailer AEZ 3967)
Investigations are still in progress.
ZACC would like to thank whistleblowers for their continued support in exposing corrupton and urge Parliament and Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to expedite the completion of the Public Interest Disclosure( Protection of Whistleblowers) Bill, 2022 whose principles were approved by Cabinet recently.
Part of the public communique by ZACC on the issue

Just steam not smoke

This is probably some sort of publicity stunt. ZACC has never failed to deliver on those and this is very low key considering some of the stuff they have pulled off in the past. They once attempted to arrest a former Vice President no less. That has never been ZACC’s problem. It’s when it comes to prosecution their hot sizzling cases have a way of fizzling out and the accused just walk. Catch and release is now the widely accepted technical term for this sort of thing.

One reason given by the prosecuting office is that ZACC has not been diligent enough when it comes to gathering the necessary evidence. They could have a point there. Based on experience, for example, Urban Connect and MB Transport cannot be said to be smuggling anything-they are not cross-border buses. They rank at Beitbridge rank which is in Zimbabwe and transporters known as Malaichas load the goods of passengers on this side of the border.

That’s just a cursory observation. Imagine what a defence lawyer would unearth if they diligently poured over the evidence. This serves ZACC well on a day of bad news but it’s nothing to write home about. There is no raging fire against corruption this is just ZACC letting off steam. In fact, you don’t even need whistleblowers to know there is corruption at the Beitbridge border crossing. On both sides of the border officials routinely engage openly in corruption though the SA side is more subtle about it. Impounding a few buses a good number of which will be released soon is not going to stop that.