HIV/AIDS organisation’s goods still in custody

OVER fifty boxes of clothes, blankets and towels, among other donations from Japan meant for the benefit of people living with HIV/AIDS, are still being held at a customs warehouse.

The chief of customs and excise, Albert Marenga, confirmed this yesterday, saying the donation included second-hand clothes and new clothing items, which according to the Value Added Tax Act number 10 of 2000 are subject to payment of value-added tax.

The goods, donated to a non-profit organisation called Solidarity Community Care Centre to benefit thousands of needy people across the country, were confiscated last Friday by the customs department.

This is despite concerns expressed by members of the organisation that goods often go missing or get stolen at customs warehouses.

Marenga had advised the NGO to apply to the finance ministry for a tax rebate that would allow them to get the goods back, but this has not been done yet.

Kirsti Mukwiilongo, one of the members of the non-profit organisation, expressed frustration that their members are now anxious as they expected to benefit from the donation within this week.

She denounced the prolonged process that customs is subjecting them to, saying they had since also been told to instead write a letter to the health ministry as their organisation deals with health issues.

The organisation first got a donation from Japan in June this year, which included new clothing items, but at that time they received a letter exempting them from paying customs duty and VAT on the goods.

The goods are from an organisation called Japan Relief Clothing Centre, a non-profit organisation based in Osaka.

At the time, an exemption was made for 812 cartons of relief clothing items to be distributed to orphans, people living with HIV/AIDS, and vulnerable members of society in the regions.

Most of the communities that benefit from the donation are from the Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Khomas, Oshana and Omusati regions, but the project has since been spread to other areas as well.

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