Customer helpline attracts little response Russel Havenga and Shareen Havenga - helpline service should be viewed as a mechanism to eradicate blockages and unhelpfulness in the Cape Town office. Ray Smuts THE SOUTH African Revenue Service in Cape Town has levied a considerable number of penalties for various customs offences, including undervaluation and miscalculation on the value of goods and “non acquittal’ of documents in respect of cargo exported. In the latter instance the freight sector is found wanting with some 1 200 acquittals - almost half dating back to last year - outstanding, according to Cape Town branch manager Russell Allison. This, in his view, is “ excessively high”, SARS’ aggressive policy of policing outstanding aquittals notwithstanding. Allison acknowledges that compliance by Cape business with provisions of the Customs Act has improved generally in recent years, pointing to heightened awareness of an obligation to the fiscus. With regard to the unpaid acquittal penalties Allison asserts: “The challenge to the freight industry is to comply with the Customs Act.” Shippers have 30 days to prove goods said to be exported have in fact left the country, otherwise duty has to be paid. “In my view 30 days is more than enough time, but when that has come and gone we have to run after some of the agents and make hundreds of phone calls. Penalties are imposed, of which the quantum depends on the number and frequency of transgressions by the client.” Just how aware the freight community is of the new customer service desk/helpline introduced on a one-month trial basis at SARS Cape Town office on September 1 is a moot point. When FTW interviewed Allison, Tony Loots, cargo management (imports and exports), Zodwa Bill, compliance manager and Paul Louw, acting operational support manager of the Cape Town team a week after its introduction, only two unrelated calls had been logged. The first was from an importer in respect of an embargo release on a container only filed at the onset of the previous weekend, the second from an import agent about the non-release of a consignment already released. Team leader In the latter instance, explains Allison, the correct way of going about matters would have been to call the relevant Sars team leader - of which there are 13 - all of whom are contactable by cell phone. It should be noted that the new helpline service, ‘manned’ by Shareen Havenga (tel: 413 6647) should be viewed as a mechanism to eradicate blockages, even unhelpfulness occurring within the Cape Town office. Allison describes SARS’ interaction with the Western Cape freight community as cordial, an assessment shared by Loots who attends the regular monthly meetings of the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF). He reports that despite grievances aired from time to time, actual proof of complaints is not readily forthcoming.
