Freight forwarders will need a Taxpayers Identification Number (TIN) from July 1 to send goods to Lesotho, Freight News has learned.
In the latest update about the contentious TIN development, Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL) said it has finalised all necessary systems requirements to implement new declaration requirements for the Automated System for Customs Data (Asycuda) used in the Southern African Customs Union region.
“Please alert all your clients,” RSL said.
“All those who qualify for exemption must apply before that date. The rest must appoint agents or else they will not be able to export goods to Lesotho.”
Previously, the divisional director of clearing and forwarding at Value Logistics, Stephen Segal, warned that not many agents dealing with the mountain kingdom seemed as if they weren’t taking the new regulation seriously.
It entails having a Lesotho service provider appointed by the Agents of Foreign Firms Association of Lesotho (Affal) to continue trading with the landlocked country.
In February it was reported that uncertainty about the impact of possible profit-sharing for transporters and their clients resulted in non-compliance among agents based in South Africa where most of Lesotho’s supply chain originates.
RSL had also made provision for franchises and sole providers with established service level agreements to apply for exemption.
Adding to the uncertainty of how exempted agents will be accommodated to avoid supply chain disruption, the implementation of the TIN regulation was delayed more than once because of supposed synchronisation issues with Asycuda.
Generally speaking, it seemed that exporters sending goods to Lesotho hedged their bets that digital hiccups with Asycuda will cause RSL to finally pull the plug on TIN.
This time around, though, it looks like freight forwarders not resident in Lesotho will have to secure an Affal agent or partner or apply for exemption.
Whereas Segal previously expressed concern about TIN’s Asycuda readiness, his response to a question whether RSL is ready to proceed was an emphatic “yes they are”.
