What would you say to a person who shares with you the big revelation that most people predominantly use their right hand? You will probably shrug and move on because that is not a revelation. It is something that everyone knows too well. The same can be said of ZIMRA’s recent revelation that Beitbridge Border Post is a hotbed of corruption. There is nothing of news value in there because of practically common knowledge.
The realisation that the border post is a hotbed of corruption was revealed by ZIMRA to The Herald in relation to an issue where the tax agency is investigating three ZIMRA officers who built mansions in Harare but failed to explain the source of their newfound wealth during a lifestyle audit.
We are currently investigating three officers who built mansions in Harare, but failed to explain how they acquired the wealth following a lifestyle audit.
We also have another officer who built a block of flats and he has since resigned. The lifestyle audit also revealed that some ZIMRA revenue officers based in Beitbridge had six properties acquired through shady deals at the border
ZIMRA loss control manager Mr Selleck Mapfeka
A country riddled with corruption
Most people now ignore reports like these from the Herald because they count for little. This country is riddled with corruption which affects just about every facet of our lives. We are not surprised when we encounter it at all. The most surprising thing would be a person spending their day without encountering corruption. You chances of not encountering corruption when dealing with a government-affiliated entity are virtually zero. You want a driving licence, you pay a bribe? Do you want the police to come to investigate a crime for you? You pay drink money.
I could go on but that is pointless. That is very unlikely to change because the government has shown remarkable weakness and lack of will in the face of big wig corruption. To this day no sensible act of corruption has been punished in a way that deters others. “Catch and release” is the order of the day. Expect ZIMRA officials at Beitbridge to cheerfully continue to take bribes. Their lesson from all this would be learning to hide their ill-gotten wealth better rather than we need to stop corruption.
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