Smuggling blitz: Zimra closes Mutize Flea Market

THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has locked up the popular Mutize and Sons Flea Market in Bulawayo as part of a nationwide blitz targeting smuggled goods and counterfeit products.

The flea market houses dozens of traders and is one of the busiest in the city centre, offering both wholesale and individual purchases from across the city and beyond.

This comes as Zimra has intensified its crackdown across the country, targeting smuggling syndicates and tax evasion practices to boost Government revenue for national development.

The retail outlet adjacent to Mutize, among others in recent weeks, has also been closed under the same operation.

In separate interviews, affected traders who were milling outside the closed outlet said this was a huge blow to their livelihoods as they now have to wait for Zimra officials to resolve the issue.

“I don’t know what to do; I will just wait for Zimra officials to see what they say next. I am hoping for an immediate resolution to this unexpected shutdown,” said one trader, who declined to be named.

Others expressed concern about losing customers and struggling to provide for their families due to the uncertainty of when they would be able to resume business.

Traders said they had been instructed to write down all the products they had in stock and would later have to produce receipts for everything.

One trader, Ms Sisele Mathonsi, said the closure of the flea market on Monday was a wake-up call for them as traders.

“We will have to try and adapt to the regulatory environment and find ways to operate within the law,” she said.

In an interview, Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs programmes co-ordinator, Mr Nketa Mangoye Dlamini, said the move was intended to ensure all traders were included in the tax system.

“The closure of Mutize Flea Market is a result of Zimra’s efforts to ensure all traders are tax-compliant, track imported goods, and monitor local purchases that are done without proper records,” he said.

Mr Dlamini, however, said there was a need for dialogue between traders and Zimra, suggesting that giving at least three months’ notice would be ideal.

According to Mr Dlamini, 90 percent of traders are not necessarily businesspeople but are in business by default because they need to survive.

“Therefore, we must turn them into proper businesses by educating them and working with local authorities to ensure they become compliant instead of resorting to smuggling goods,” he said.

Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) executive director, Mr Michael Ndiweni, said the flea market had been closed as part of the ongoing operation taskforce checking the origin of goods sold at Mutize.

He noted that the closure imposed by Zimra meant that traders would not be able to conduct business until they complied with regulatory requirements, which would, in turn, affect their income.

“My advice is that maybe the taskforce should work on modalities with various SMEs associations to find better ways of implementing the operation so that people understand exactly what is going on,” said Mr Ndiweni.

“I think the taskforce must engage associations or market owners and work out a mechanism that balances enforcement with protecting the livelihoods of those who are desperate, enabling them to earn a living while ensuring they comply with the law.”

By working with MSMEs groups, Mr Ndiweni said they had tried to engage the authorities to be more lenient and allow people to come forward with declaration documents to clear their goods.

“We are trying to be proactive, educating people on this operation and on how they can comply with the laws on bringing goods into the country. We are urging them to be cautious and to reduce reliance on runners, as they are often responsible for bringing goods through undesignated ports,” he said.

As part of an intermediate long-term solution, Mr Ndiweni said they were launching initiatives to support some traders in producing locally made garments to reduce import dependency.

“We have a project that we are currently running to support them with sewing machines, encouraging them to start producing garments locally. This will help them survive beyond relying on importing goods and facing challenges when bringing them into the country,” he said.

The Government is intensifying efforts to combat the illegal movement of goods across borders, a critical component of a broader strategy to stabilise the economy and promote lawful trade practices.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is leading the operation, working with Zimra, the police, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, and the Consumer Protection Commission.

Experts say smuggled goods significantly harm the local manufacturing sector, employment, and public health, while also eroding revenue needed for national development. -chroncile