Taxation in Rhodesia (1894-1969)

Africans had to pay a hut tax

• Taxes were introduced by the colonial government to serve two purposes, that is, to force Africans to work for Europeans to earn money to pay taxes and to fund the government
• Whites were not taxed even if their salaries were twelve times more than that of blacks
• The hut tax was pegged at one pound
• The Shona tried to avoid working for Europeans by selling their produce but after the agricultural reforms they were resettled
• Taxes got higher but labour requirements were not met
• Some of the taxes that were paid are poll tax, hut tax, dipping fee, a grazing fee, tax on cattle, dog tax and tax on polygamous tax

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