A SOUTH AFRICAN exhibitor at this year’s edition of Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF), Nel Bisseru of Vuga Publishers and Book Distribution, has lamented local customs laws and appealed for government’s intervention in future when exhibitors are bringing their exhibition material.
BY ARTS REPORTER
This is after they were held up by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officials who demanded tax payment for the materials they had brought into the country for exhibition at the book fair.
“The Zimbabwe government must help us as exhibitors to bring our exhibition material. We had a torrid time with the customs officials demanding we pay taxes for our exhibition material despite that we had our declaration,” he said.
Bisseru said this was their first time to exhibit at the ZIBF and they were disappointed at their treatment.
“We appeal to the government in future that they should be considerate in the sense that we will be taking back some of the material with us after the exhibition while some of it is given for free.”
The matter was only resolved after they had paid an undisclosed amount of money.
