The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) on 17 April 2014 announced the application for the proposed increase in the “General” rate of customs duty on wire of iron or non-alloy steel: plated or coated with other base metals (known in the industry as beadwire), classifiable in tariff subheading 7217.30, from free of customs duty to 10% ad valorem. Comment is due by 15 May 2014.
The application was lodged by Natstan Wire (Pty) Ltd, based in Uitenhage, who reasoned that since the import duties on wire products had been removed, the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) had lost substantial business due to the low landed price of competing imported beadwire products.
Comment is due by 15 May 2014. (The date on which comment was due is not stated in the Government Gazette, but accounting for the Customs Tariff Regulations it is assumed to be four weeks.)