Customs commits to time schedule
IMPLEMENTATION OF the electronic release and automatic deferment systems of the South African Revenue Services at the country's three major airports and customs offices is well under way - and officials are satisfied they have taken the freight industry by surprise.
General belief was that it would be another three to five years before the entire system was up and running, with agents complaining that this delay was hampering work in the clearance of consignments.
The automatic deferment system has now been fully implemented at Johannesburg International Airport and Durban, and is functioning well, says Gavin Collinet, director, customs at SARS.
The electronic release has still to be included at the three airports, but this is in the planning stage at present and will be in operation quicker than many had expected.
While the electronic release system has been implemented in Johannesburg and Durban, some depots are not linked yet, and practical problems with the system are in the process of being ironed out.
Customs is giving priority to solving these problems and getting all depots on line, he says.
Terminals have already developed their systems and as we go along with our scheduled dates so they will automatically link up with us.
Collinet has also committed his department to a time schedule for the completion of these services, which will see all operations in place by the end of this year.
Full implementation of the electronic release system has been scheduled for customs at Pretoria immediately, at Germiston by March 2 and Cape Town by April 28. Port Elizabeth is scheduled for June 15 at latest and East London July 13.
Automatic deferment is scheduled for Cape Town International Airport by May 18, Durban International Airport August 31 and Beit Bridge September 28.
It is the Revenue Service's determined commitment to have these systems fully and effectively implemented nationwide by the dates scheduled, says Collinet.
By Leonard Neill
