DUTY CALLS

Rebate of the Duty on Home
Textiles
A notice was published in respect
of the proposed creation of a
Rebate Item (Rebate Provision)
for “Textile Bed, Table, Toilet and
Kitchen Linen; Curtains, Interior
Blinds, Curtain or Bed Valances,
Other Furnishing Articles and
Articles of Bedding and Similar
Furnishing Fitted with Springs or
Stuffed Internally, Fitted with any
Material of Cellular Rubber
or Plastics, Whether or
Not Covered”.
The application was lodged
by Sheraton Textiles; Cotton
Traders; Maytex Industries;
and Classique Quiltors, who, as
reason for the application, stated
that the product in question was
not manufactured in the Southern
African Customs Union (Sacu),
and that the import duties paid
on the raw materials rendered the
applicants uncompetitive against
the imported finished product.
Comment is due by
27 March 2009.
Additional Notes – Petrol
and Kerosene
The South African Revenue
Service (Sars) has published an
amendment to Schedule No.1
Part 1 – “Ordinary Customs
Duty” of the Customs and Excise
Act.
The amendment is in respect of
the substitution of ADDITIONAL
NOTES 1(b) and 1(f) to Chapter
27 – “Mineral Fuels, Mineral Oils
and Products of their Distillation;
Bituminous Substances;
Mineral Waxes”.
The notes in question relate
to Petrol [19b)] and Illumination
Kerosene [1(f)].
Petroleum Licence Round
2009
The Chief Executive of the
Petroleum Agency for the
Promotion of Petroleum
Exploration and Exploitation
announced a licence round for
selected offshore petroleum
blocks.
Competitive bids are invited
from 15 March 2009, and the
closing date for bids is
30 September 2009.
Application for stevedore
licence
Transnet National Ports
Authority has published a notice
announcing its intention to issue
Stevedore Licences.
If you are in doubt,
“stevedore” is defined as to load
or unload the cargo of (a ship)
or to engage in the process of
loading or unloading such a
vessel.
Applications are due by
20 March 2009.
Maritime Transport Security
Bill – Comment Due
The Department of Transport has
published a notice “Publication
for Public Comments: Maritime
Transport Security Bill, 2009”.
The 249-page document
invites comment by
01 April 2009.
Merchant Shipping Tracking
– Comment Due
The Department of Transport
has published a notice
titled, Publication for Public
Comments: Merchant Shipping
(Long-Range Identification
and Tracking of Ships)
Regulations, 2009.
The 14-page document invites
comment by 01 April 2009.
South Africa’s Framework
Response to World Crisis
A 25-page document “Framework
for South Africa’s Response to
the International Economic Crisis
– 19 February 2009” was recently
published.
The document deals with
amongst other issues: (i) Impact
of the Crisis on South Africa;
(ii) Broad Principles Governing
our Response; (iii) Investment in
Public Infrastructure; (iv) Macro
Economic Policy Response;
(v) Industrial and Trade Policy
Measures; (vi) Employment
Measures; (vii) Social Measures;
(viii) Global Coordination;
and (ix) Social Partnership in
Response to the Crisis.