I have been an EcoCash Agent for the past 6-years and over those years I opened 15 outlets in and around Bulawayo. More specifically I run my small enterprise in Bulawayo South, a constituency whose MP is Eddie Cross. I have voted for him and will do so again if he contests. I have just decided to remind my MP – who seems to be out of touch with taxation happening on Mobile Money. Thanks to EcoCash for giving us hope and some decency in our poverty by allowing us to be Agents.
Mr Cross Sir! Every merchant payment transaction on EcoCash customers get charged 5 cents irrespective of the value of the item I am buying. EcoCash charges zero fees for all purchases between 0-$1, the only applicable charge is the 5cents government tax – Intermediated Mobile Money Transfer Tax (IMMT). Mr Cross Sir! – when I sell my Maputi for 10 cents because of IMMT the customer pays 15 cents. Ecocash gets nothing. Mr Cross Sir! The bread which ED (you seem to like him, because of your endorsement – I have started to like him too) reduced to 90 cents when bakeries had increased to a $1 costs 95 cents because of IMMT.
Mr Cross Sir! I happen to be a graduate unemployed and therefore not numerically challenged. Are you not supposed to argue for the removal of the 5 cents instead of increasing it or any variation thereof.
Mr Cross Sir! Are you aware that all EcoCash Agents pay tax for their commission earnings. If you do not have a tax clearance certificate the 10% withholding tax on your commission applies. Possibly Ecocash is the only corporate that deals with SME’s and ensures they pay tax.
Mr Cross Sir! Have you wondered why Econet tops in terms of tax contribution to the fiscus. We already paying tax Sir! The liquidity crisis affected our Ecocash business and do you want to make it worse for EcoCash and Agents!
Kudos to EcoCash for creating jobs. Mr Cross Sir! Open your eyes and look around and see the difference Ecocash has made in the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans. Any tax on EcoCash will affect EcoCash and EcoCash Agents. The over 60k jobs created by EcoCash through their Agent network will suffer.
Mr Cross Sir! You missed it this time around. Don’t punish success, learn from it, copy, improve, adapt, adopt and above all – celebrate it!
Read literature around this Mr Cross Sir!, a 10% increase in mobile phone usage will increase gross domestic product (GDP) by 1% and a 10% increase in broadband penetration increases GDP by 3%.
If I were you in respect of this industry, I would advocate for duty free import of handsets, data equipment (tablets, ipads, lap tops etc) and grow penetration and have a scientifically proven impact!
I would Mr Cross Sir! Extend the gesture from EcoCash and say 5 cents is scrapped for all transactions below a $1 – more digital transactions on our $1 per day economy! Will this not work better for Dr Mangudya’s M0 or narrow money especially now.
Mr Cross Sir! Spare this one.
By the way Mr Cross Sir! If you had an influence on the reduction of Excise Duty on fuel effective 23 January 2018 – Well Done Sir! If you were not – am sure you equally happy – extend my gratitude to Hon Patrick Chinamasa and to H. E. Something tangible in the 100-days.
Mr Cross Sir! Thank you for being so active and relevant to the community of Bulawayo. Just spare us these few jobs which are making us survive.
