VISET conducted a Post Budget Briefing in Goromonzi North on Wednesday the 2nd of December 2020 in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development and Women in Land. The Briefing was a follow up to the Pre Budget seminars undertaken during the months of August and September. The purpose of the briefing was to analyse the budget Presented by Min of Finance and Economic Development Hon Mtuli Ncube. It was observed that the budget lacks pro poor interventions and did not take into consideration the views expressed by citizens during the budget consultations held across the country. Furthermore, the decision to tax the informal sector was heavily criticised by participants during the briefing. The Government was urged to ensure that the Informal Economy is properly funded and supported before taxing it.
Participants were also of the view that more resources be channelled to the health and education sectors, as they are having to subsidize the local clinic, a case in point where the local Chief decreed that every person pays ZWL5 for transportation of medicines from Harare. They also spoke on the issue of schools, where some teachers were charging as much as USD5 per month per pupil for teaching, saying they were not being paid enough.
On the issue of the much touted cushioning allowance which government said they were disbursing to informal traders and vulnerable families in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, participants bemoaned that the whole exercise is riddled with corruption as only influential ruling party officials were receiving them.
The issue of infrastructure development was also emphasized. It was noted that the Government needs to ensure that Informal Traders markets are upgraded and modernised so that traders are able to trade profitably as well as in hygienic conditions, and be in a position to pay the taxes and conversely contribute to the development of the national economy.
Source: VISET Information and Publicity Department
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