'Inventive' solutions help overshome communications challenges at borders

Communications infrastructure or lack of it is probably one of the biggest challenges from a technical point of view to overcome when moving goods across South Africa’s border posts. According to Easyclear’s Michael Henning, communications infrastructure at some border posts is far from desirable resulting in service providers and their clients having to come up with inventive ways to communicate electronically with Sars in compliance with modernisation. “Through the use of mobile technology and sometimes international mobile service providers we are often able to address this challenge at very little extra cost to the client, but it would be worthwhile if infrastructure, especially communications infrastructure at our border posts, could be addressed – especially in the light of everything now being communicated electronically.” He said while modernisation had for the most part led to massive improvements in the system, the speed at which Sars implemented the changes did not always filter down as fast to border post employees. “If the changes have not been communicated as quickly at ground level, this can lead to confusion around policies and procedures.” But, said Henning, the situation is improving. “The same can be said about the harmonisation of systems and procedures within SADC,” he said. “Albeit slowly, at times due to politics between different neighbouring countries, there is a drive to see more alignment and harmonisation – and that bodes well for the future.” He said while some countries were still lagging behind in the SADC due to the specific systems they were using, some had also made massive improvements. “Mozambique, for example, is improving dramatically, probably due to the one-stop and single-window projects being implemented and driven by the Maputo corridor group.” INSERT ‘Speed at which Sars implements changes does not always filter down as fast to border post employees.’ CAPTION Michael Henning … ‘Encouraging drive to see more alignment and harmonisation in the region.’