Months after the measure was announced, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, has finally announced that sanitary wear can now be imported into the country duty free.
This follows the promulgation of Statutory Instrument 264 of 2018.
There is no customs duty on the importation of sanitary wear for women. The price of sanitary ware in Zimbabwe shot up beyond the reach of many women facing them to use unhygienic materials that expose them to infections and other health-related problems.
In response to the plight of women, the Government scrapped duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on sanitary wear to make it available and to promote hygiene for women.
Statutory Instrument 264 of 2018 provides for a suspension of duty on sanitary wear for women for imports done during the period December 1, 2018, to November 30, 2019.
This means that no customs duty will be charged on importation of sanitary wear. In addition, the sanitary wear is exempted from paying import VAT, meaning that VAT is not charged in terms of Statutory Instrument 265 of 2018.
Examples of sanitary wear covered under this exemption include products like sanitary towels and tampons. It should be noted that any products that are sanitary wear of any other chapter than 96 will attract the applicable duty.
ZIMRA’s statement according to the Herald
This is welcome relief to women and girls. There were sad reports that a lot of girls had to make do with leaves and bits of cloth.
