Parliament wants Zimbabwe's tax office to fix its online system fast. The Public Accounts Committee told the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority last week that better ways for people to pay taxes on time are needed. This helps the government collect all the money it should. The committee spoke up after reading reports from 2021 and 2022 that showed problems with the tax website since 2016.
The tax website keeps breaking down when many people try to use it at once. Back in 2021, the system couldn't handle all 364,011 tax returns people tried to submit. The website crashed much more often than it should have. Regina Chinamasa, who runs the tax office, admitted that the online system totally failed in 2021. Her team had to create emergency solutions for taxpayers.
First, they asked everyone to send tax forms through email. Later, in 2022, they built their temporary fix: e-taxes. Their permanent solution, TaRMS, started working in 2023 but won't be finished until December 2024. The committee said collecting taxes through email wasn't safe or efficient for handling private financial information.
The committee praised the tax office for creating their new systems but worried about how long everything takes. They want TaRMS working properly by December 2025 with no more service problems. They also asked for backup plans if the systems crash again. The tax office must review its email system by December 31 to ensure taxpayer data stays secure throughout the process.
The tax website keeps breaking down when many people try to use it at once. Back in 2021, the system couldn't handle all 364,011 tax returns people tried to submit. The website crashed much more often than it should have. Regina Chinamasa, who runs the tax office, admitted that the online system totally failed in 2021. Her team had to create emergency solutions for taxpayers.
First, they asked everyone to send tax forms through email. Later, in 2022, they built their temporary fix: e-taxes. Their permanent solution, TaRMS, started working in 2023 but won't be finished until December 2024. The committee said collecting taxes through email wasn't safe or efficient for handling private financial information.
The committee praised the tax office for creating their new systems but worried about how long everything takes. They want TaRMS working properly by December 2025 with no more service problems. They also asked for backup plans if the systems crash again. The tax office must review its email system by December 31 to ensure taxpayer data stays secure throughout the process.
