By BRIAN HATYOKA
THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) is set to dispose of 56 bags of mealie-meal which were confiscated from traders who had no export permits at Victoria Falls border in Livingstone.
A total number of 100 bags of mealie-meal valued at K8,000 were seized in Livingstone between October and December 2015.
Out of the 100 bags, 44  were certified fit for human consumption while the remaining 56 were in a bad state and would soon be destroyed by the local authority.
ZRA yesterday donated 41 of the 44 bags to bags to Lubasi Orphanage Home, Choongo School for the Handicapped, and Maramba Old People’s Home for consumption in accordance with Section 204 of Customs and Excise Act on disposal of seized goods.
Speaking in Livingstone yesterday during the handover, ZRA corporate communications manager Mumbuna Kufekisa said the authority would intensify patrols at the border to curb illegal trade.
Mr Mumbuna said the donation of mealie-meal to the three deserving institutions was in line with Section 204 of the Customs while Excise Act, which allows the ZRA commissioner general to donate such goods if they were perishable to deserving charities.
“We are ready every day to do our patrols as you know that mealie-meal is a controlled commodity and traders need an export permit from the Ministry of Agriculture for them to export.
“As long as the export permit is not there, we shall continue seizing such goods and dispose of them in the manner we have done today in accordance with the Customs and Excise Act,” Mr Kufekisa said.
He said ZRA wanted traders to do the right things so that they did not disturb the flow of such commodities and other products in the country.
“Mealie-meal is a key commodity in Zambia and it will be unfortunate for people to smuggle it out of the country at the expense of Zambians who are in need,” Mr Kufekisa said.
ZRA assistant commissioner for the Southern region under the customs services division, Derrick Choonga said some traders concealed the commodity to elude border officials while others used bicycles to bypass the border.