K2 million tax claimed from erring truckers

ABOUT K2 million in taxes has been recovered by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) from owners of 356 heavy duty vehicles that were impounded for dubiously entering Zambia in June this year.

These are some of the over 8,000 heavy duty vehicles that had been impounded, leading to Government losing about K480 million in unpaid taxes.

Speaking to journalists at the just ended Lusaka Agriculture and Commercial Show, ZRA Corporate Communications Manager Topsy Sikalinda, said 356 owners of the impounded vehicles responded after the authority publicized details of the first batch of 500 trucks.

“We can update the nation now that we had publicized the first 500 vehicles in the press and we gave the owners a period in which they were supposed to respond. I can confirm that out of the 500, we had about 356 of owners who responded.

“We then calculated the principle amount and so far we can confirm that we have collected close to K2 million in terms of taxes,” Mr Sikalinda said.

He said ZRA was as lenient as possible on those who responded while still acting within the confinements of the law.

He said ZRA had engaged Zambia Police, Road Transport and Safety Agency and other partners to ensure those that who had not responded in the first batch were captured.

Mr Sikalinda said the authority would soon publicize the second batch of 500 vehicles.

“For those who have not stepped forward, we will not be nice to you, we will ensure that we fix you. We will ensure that we charge all the penalties and do everything the law provides to ensure that we bring you to book.

“Therefore it is our appeal that if you brought in a vehicle through dubious means, come to ZRA so that you may normalize what is wrong with the vehicle. If you keep on waiting unfortunately we will come after you and things will not be good for you,” Mr Sikalinda said.