ZIMRA demands Borrowdale Brooke property owners and tenants’ details

Municipal Correspondent

Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has requested detailed information on property owners and tenants at the upmarket Borrowdale Brooke Golf Estate as the tax authority intensifies its efforts to ensure compliance with tax laws.

In a notice to residents dated August 28, the Borrowdale Brooke Homeowners Association said ZIMRA had requested information relating to properties within the estate, including the names of property owners and tenants, lease commencement dates and contact details.

“The Borrowdale Brooke Homeowners Association wishes to advise residents that the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has requested information relating to properties within the Estate,” the association said.

“The information requested is: property owner’s name; tenant’s name; lease commencement date; and contact details of owners and tenants.”

The association said the request had been made pursuant to Section 39 of the Income Tax Act, which empowers the Commissioner to require persons to furnish further returns or information for purposes of the Act.

ZIMRA itself says Section 39 provides a legal basis for requiring information and returns, while the Act requires persons to furnish further information when required by the Commissioner.

The homeowners’ association said it had sought external legal advice to establish the extent of its obligations and the information that could lawfully be disclosed to the revenue authority.

“The Association sought comprehensive external legal advice to determine the extent of its obligations and the scope of information that may lawfully be disclosed,” the notice said.

Following the legal advice, the association said it had concluded that it was legally obliged to comply with the request.

“In terms of the said provision, the Association is under a legal obligation to comply with the request,” it said.

The association also sought to reassure residents that it would not provide information beyond what had been specifically requested by ZIMRA.

“We therefore advise residents that the Association is working with ZIMRA and will be releasing the information shortly,” it said.

“No information beyond the statutory request shall be disclosed,” the association added.

In 2025, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Deputy Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa told Parliament

Government had temporarily shelved implementation of the wealth tax pending the completion of administrative and legislative refinements.

The tax, which was introduced to compel high-net-worth individuals to contribute more towards the fiscus, was expected to widen Zimbabwe’s revenue base and address wealth inequalities.

Dep Minister Mnangagwa said the tax could only be enforced once clear mechanisms were in place to assess, monitor and collect contributions from targeted individuals and entities.

Wealth taxes are levies charged on the market value of assets owned by individuals or households, including real estate, shares and investments.

Globally, they are often used to reduce income and wealth disparities while providing additional funding for social services, infrastructure and other public programmes.

Zimbabwe’s wealth tax was unveiled as part of wide-ranging fiscal reforms aimed at expanding the country’s revenue streams beyond traditional income and consumption taxes.

Treasury argues that the tax will ensure that the country’s richest citizens make a fairer contribution towards national development.