mmegi

De Beers ‘dribbles’ BURS in tax saga

De Beers PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
De Beers PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

A study commissioned by the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) alleges that diamond mining giant, De Beers, has been paying far less than its fair share of tax to the Botswana government by using a variety of “accounting tricks”. Mmegi Staffer SHARON MATHALA reports on an audit covering the years 2013-20 which reportedly show a P4 billion tax debt to Batswana

In 2021, a report from the Auditor-General (AG) raised alarm that some mining companies could be short-changing Batswana and the Botswana government by providing incorrect reports on their production and sales, which in turn would affect the amounts they pay government in royalties, taxes and other dues.

Mineral revenues are government’s most important source of funding and account for one third of budget incomes.

Editor's Comment
Kudos to Botswana Police Service, other security entities

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing.”– Theodore RooseveltThrough the two-day event, over 700 athletes from 40 countries, and multitudes of spectators gathered in Gaborone to witness a world-class sporting spectacle.Beyond the medals and performances on the track, Botswana won something equally important: international respect. One of the key pillars behind the success was the sterling work done by the...

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