By: Anton Mbinge
The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) says they are considering a formula that would require traders who sell second-hand clothes to pay customs duties, because they currently pay more to smugglers who bring their goods in the country. According to NamRA's Chief of Strategic Communications and Support Engagements, Steven Ndorokaze this fee will be less than what traders presently pay smugglers who bring in their goods through undesignated entry points. Ndorokaze said the practice has not beneficial to traders . Hence, NamRA is seeking an approach that will alleviate the plight of traders. "We are looking at a formula in such a way that it would respond to us , as a State revenue collector, and that we are able to collect what is due to the State in terms of revenue. We are talking about custom duties not tax and also bring relief to the traders that they pay a fee that is better or less than what they are paying at the moment," Ndorokaze told TodayonOne. According to the evidence presented, Ndorokaze said , there seems to be several people involved in getting the bales of clothes to the traders. "There seems to be a number of intermediaries before the (goods) get to the traders and the fees they pay is more than what they would have paid in custom duties had they presented the (goods) at those points. It gets worse when you are trading in Windhoek. In the end, if you were to get your things in Windhoek , you would have paid around N$ 2000 and N$2500 and this is an unlawful channel you are using. The traders are crying with us," stated Ndorozake. He added that traders are looking for recourse but it is difficult for NamRA to get involved because of the channels used. A second-hand clothes trader ,Albertina Haikali , who sells along the busy Okuryangava street next to the Tukondjeni market , pleaded with NamRa to find a solution for them to bring their clothes in the country as they are pay exorbitant prices and at times their goods are delayed.
"We want NamRA to find a way to bring our goods legally to us. Maybe that way it will be cheaper. We are facing delays. Our goods do not arrive here on time. Sometimes, we need our things at the end of the month when people are paid but we end up getting our goods in the middle of the month and the clients do not have money anymore," said Haikali.
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