BURS raids renowned auto electrics

BAME PIET
Staff Writer | Monday September 13, 2010 00:00

BURS General Manager - Compliance, Kaone Molapo, stated that the company has failed to pay tax for several years. He added that it imports and subsequently exports vehicles allegedly without following proper procedures.

He said that the company registered at least five vehicles between 2005 and 2007 but they have since disappeared from the government systems. Only one vehicle had its registration renewed in 2010. 'Where did all the other vehicles go?' he asked.

He revealed that the company owes government over P600,000 in unpaid taxes dating back to 2005. 'There are no records, nor bank accounts, but he recently purchased a brand new Nissan Navara. How is that possible?' he said.

Gilbert Mudziwa, the Zimbabwean owner of the company was not present when the officers raided his premises in Broadhurst. The officers moved to another workshop in Mogoditshane where they met Mudziwa. He said in a telephone interview with The Monitor that he has submitted the records in time but was surprised when BURS issued a claim that he owed P500,000 in taxes. 'We submitted the books well in time but it seems there was a miscalculation. Some of the records went missing at BURS,' he said. He confirmed that the officers impounded his Nissan Navara.

Molapo said there is a serious problem of foreign-owned companies doing business and not filing their tax returns. He said the problem is so serious that the economy of the country could collapse and there is urgent need to review laws. He also confirmed that they have seized Mudziwa's Navara.

The Thursday raid follows another one at Chez Ntemba last week Monday in which the officers sealed all entrances to the building as well as refrigerators full of beverage drinks.

Molapo said the man who runs the business, Numbi Kayambe (younger brother to owner) had promised to pay the owed amount by Tuesday morning but had only paid a little amount leaving them with no option but to keep the place closed until he pays all outstanding payments.

He said that they would intensify their investigations into operations of the company, which owns another club in Mogoditshane.

'They have tried to file their returns but they (returns) do not tally with available information. The figures do not add up at all,' he said.

Molapo said there is a lot of information that the Chez Ntemba management seems to be hiding from BURS and only after such information is availed to the agency will the club be allowed to operate. He said that the origin of the filed tax returns is still a mystery to government.

He added that the manager of the club is said to be in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and it is not known when he will return to account to the BURS. Molapo said that they have informed the Immigration Department not to allow Kayambe to leave Botswana.