South Africa’s pending new customs legislation is unlikely to see the light of day before 2018, according to industry sources. With questions having been raised over the legality of implementing the new customs duty and control acts in a phased approached – a task that SA Revenue Service previously indicated would start in the first half of 2017 – most industry experts now say that not much is expected in terms of implementation this year. Sars Commissioner Tom Moyane previously told FTW that the first deliverables of the New Customs Acts Programme (NCAP) were being planned for 2017 – with registration, licensing and accreditation encompassing the first phase of the legislation's implementation. Lawyers and customs experts however questioned the approach saying legislation could not be phased in. “It is either implemented or it is not. It would seem from my recent dealings with officials that this is the conclusion they have come to as well,” said a source. At a recent meeting of the Port Liaison Forum (PLF) in Cape Town, attendees were advised to prepare for the usual licensing and registration procedures with Sars at the end of this year.
