Customs bills a game-changer

Gauteng business will
have to become more
proactive in clearing
cargo in light of the
new customs bills that require all
goods be cleared at the first port
of entry.
According to Alex de Bruyn,
national marketing manager for
MSC, while the new bills are not
specific to Gauteng, the province
will be directly affected.
“The new customs
requirements will force the
industry to be more proactive in
clearing to prevent delays and
consequential costs at POD,” he
told FTW.
The new customs bills,
while not yet operational, are
aimed at creating a balance
between customs control and
trade facilitation, creating
an environment where the
movement of goods is controlled
and risk is minimised, protecting
the country’s fiscus, economy and
wider society at large.
And with Gauteng being the
economic hub for the country,
responsible for at least 40% of
South Africa’s containerised
imports and exports, either
physically shipped into or out
of the region, it has a major
strategic role to play.
“Gauteng does not have specific
challenges, but strikes have been
impacting on the province’s
performance this year, negatively
affecting both import and export
volumes,” said De Bruyn, “It also
remains far from the nearest port
and continues to face transport
challenges – via rail or road –
to connect it efficiently to the
coastal ports.”
He said servicing Gauteng
remained a priority for MSC
which continues to introduce
new services to the South African
market as a whole – such as the
Ipanema Service, a direct sailing
on the South Africa-South
America route.
“Gauteng plays a strategic role
and it is therefore important
to continuously work towards
better wet and dry leg container
solutions for the Gauteng market
that are personalised and tailormade,”
he said. “This requires
substantial investment in both
professional on-site personnel
and infrastructure assets for the
region.”