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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent

Harare province businesses are getting their paperwork updated after several hundred were found guilty of at least one breach of regulations in recent inspections and paid their admission of guilt fines.

The checks came after the lapse of the 7-day ultimatum for businesses operating with expired licences or illegally to update their paperwork or regularise their operations.

Close to 70 percent of businesses in Harare were in some breach of laws, by-laws or regulations to some degree.

In a statement yesterday, Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Harare Metropolitan Province Mr Tafadzwa Muguti said: “The blitz is targeting operators who are non-compliant with at least with either Companies Act or taxation laws or health regulations or local authority by-laws or environmental management by-laws or National Social Security regulations or immigration and refugee regulations or liquor licensing regulations.”

Mr Muguti said by the close of business on July 1, teams comprising officials from Government ministries and agencies, local authorities and the Zimbabwe Republic Police, had visited 1 148 business premises.

“Out of these, 793 businesses were non-compliant to one or a combination of the laws and regulations and 355 were fully compliant.

“Non-compliant operators were arrested and paid admission of guilt fines at local police stations. The office of the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution would like to thank all those business operators who have cooperated and would like to take this opportunity to inform the business community and the public at large that the blitz underway seeks to bring order and curb revenue leakages to the State and local authorities for the attainment of an improved service delivery for a better Harare,” he said.

Mr Muguti said the province had zero tolerance to corruption, lawlessness and disorder.