On 24 April 2015 the South African Revenue Service (Sars) published its presentation delivered at the 4th workshop, its first for 2015, held on 23 April 2015. If you are interested in downloading the presentation, simply type the following into your browser.
http://www.sars.gov.za/AllDocs/LegalDoclib/Bills/LAPD-LPrep-Bill-2015-0…% 20Customs%20Control%20Rules%20Chapters%2032%20to%2041%20held%2023%20April%202015.pdf
The workshop dealt with Chapters 32 to 41 of the Customs Control Act. The Chapters are contained in Part 2 of Chapter 2 and deal with "places of entry and exit", and specifically "customs control, places of entry and exit and customs controlled areas". Chapters 31 Designation of places of entry and exit; 32. Purposes for which places of entry or exit may be used; 33. Restrictions on use of places of entry or exit; 34. Places of entry or exit in terms of international agreements with adjoining countries; 35. Information sharing agreements; 36. Places of entry for foreign-going vessels and aircraft; 37. Calls or landings resulting from forced circumstances; 38. Places of entry or exit for cross-border trains; 39. Places of entry or exit for vehicles; 40. Places of entry or exit for persons; 41. Places of entry or exit for goods; and 42. Consequences in event of contravention of entry or exit requirements.
Its previous workshops were held on 29 August 2014 (Chapters 1 and 3 to 10); on 26 November 2014 (Chapters 11 to 20 and 24); and 11 December 2014 (Chapters 21 to 23, and 25 to 31).
Accounting for the rate at which the workshops are being held, it seems highly unlikely that the Customs Acts (including the Excise Act) will come into operation in 2015, and for that matter even 2016. This calls into question the value of attending customs and excise training courses, while the Rules to the Acts are still in the initial phases of deliberation.
