On 9 June 2011 Sars released a letter titled “Customs Modernisation Release 2: Go-Live Of New Inspection Process”. The letter reads: It’s all systems go for one of the biggest changes to Customs systems and processes when Release 2 of the Customs Modernisation Programme is rolled out this weekend. Please note: • All clearance declarations in the current Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) format must be submitted to Customs by 19:30 on Friday 10 June 2011. • Outgoing Sars processes will be active until 22:00, i.e. CUSRES messages will still be sent out until 22:00. • The EDI Gateway and all other Customs cargo related systems will be unavailable from 19:30 on Friday 10 June 2011 until 01:00 on Saturday 11 June 2011. • The normal Sars Service Standards will apply during this period i.e. 90% of all electronically submitted export and import returns will be processed within four hours of receipt and manual submissions will be processed within 24 hours. • Normal office hours will apply on Saturday 11 June for Johannesburg (JHB), Durban (DBN), CapeTown (CTN) and Ortia (JSA). If traders have any queries, they should firstly contact their service provider who will then escalate it to the relevant Sars Super User. However, if there are any operational issues that need to be escalated urgently, you can contact Hennie Marais on 082 451 1327. Some of the changes to be implemented during this first phase of Customs Modernisation Release 2 include: • The introduction of electronic supporting documents • A redesign of Customs’ internal inspection process • Nine new Customs Procedure Code combinations • Clarification of the use and location of data fields on the SAD forms and • The replacing of the DA74 form with release notifications at Ortia, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. With the introduction of a new Sars front-end workflow system, called Service Manager, at the above four offices, the use of the DA 74 Release Notification will be phased out. All release authorities (RAs) must please take note that as of 11 June 2011 they should no longer accept the DA 74 from traders as proof of release (for the above-mentioned branches) as it will be replaced with a release notification which will be sent electronically to those traders and RAs that are doing business with Sars electronically. For those traders who are not EDI-registered, the release notification will be printed and stamped. Customs stakeholders are also requested to include the LRN (Local Reference Number) and case number on any query regarding supporting documents. Please also take note that the email facility for submission of supporting documents, which has been an unofficial practice in the past, will be discontinued as traders will now be able to submit their supporting documents electronically using software that has been made available free of charge to service providers who have integrated it into their clients’ systems. Traders are also able to deliver their supporting documents to Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg or Ortia where they will be scanned and then returned to the trader. You are also reminded to not submit or bring supporting documents into any of the four offices unless requested. However, the process will continue at the other Customs offices as per normal process until they become Service Manager-enabled. For more information on these changes, visit the Sars Customs Modernisation website.