Zimbabwe’s largest beverage maker, Delta Corporation, has lost its long-running $74 million tax dispute with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), after the Constitutional Court dismissed its appeal.
At the centre of the battle was a currency wrangle: Delta made tax payments in Zimbabwean dollars, while Zimra calculated the obligations in U.S. dollars. With the local currency rapidly depreciating, Delta argued that its payments were unfairly eroded.
The case climbed from the High Court to the Supreme Court, and finally to the Constitutional Court, but the country’s top judges ruled that no fundamental rights were violated and no procedural errors had been made.
By December 31, 2024, Delta had already paid US$9.2 million under Zimbabwe’s “pay now, argue later” tax law. However, the ruling now leaves the brewer liable for the balance, piling financial pressure on its operations and future investment plans.
The judgment closes Delta’s legal avenues, cementing Zimra’s position and forcing the company to consider tough decisions going forward.
