“Considering that it is illegal, it means it is not allowed; it is an imprisonable offence. So, we cannot collect taxes on illegal practices.”
THE government has no plans to demand Aids levies or any tax from commercial sex workers whose activities are linked to the country HIV/Aids prevalence, a minister has said.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister Tapiwa Matangaidze told legislators in the Senate recently that government had no plans to draw taxes from illegal activities.
“Government policy does not allow commercial sex work. So, it is illegal,” Matangaidze said.
“Considering that it is illegal, it
The minister was responding to a question by Zanu PF Senator Tapera Machingaifa who wanted to know whether government had any future intentions of taxing commercial sex workers.
Machingaifa had asked Matangaidze if it was not proper to incorporate hookers among workers contributing towards the Aids levy and NSSA levies.
Zimbabwe, in May 2015, outlawed the indiscriminate arrest of women for alleged prostitution without confirmation from male partners they had paid for sexual services.
The landmark decision sparked celebrations from commercial sex workers and feminist groups which found the ruling as a relief to what they argued was a violation on women’s rights.
Despite denials this was not intended towards legalising the world’s oldest profession, many viewed this meaning prostitution was now legal as police have since stopped arresting commercial sex workers even when it seemed clear they were soliciting for paid sex.
While other countries have legalised commercial sex work, the practice remains illegal in Zimbabwe.
Government officials have resisted demands by some female legislators, among them Bulawayo East MP Thabitha Khumalo who has argued that it did not make sense to treat commercial sex workers as social outcasts when they were offering services to men, including supposedly respectable professionals.
