Lesotho border set to modernise

A new customs computer system at Lesotho border posts should go a long way to curing a historic problem with delays because of slow-moving manual systems, according to Hilary Woelk, MD of Kayhil Lesotho. This year, he told FTW, the Lesotho Revenue Authority (LRA) is introducing the Asycuda World computer system – a paid-for system and not a free hand-out, and much better in that respect – at all its border stations. Asycuda, he added, is used by most of the Southern African countries except SA – which uses the electronic data interchange (EDI) CAPE system. “Effective July 1 the LRA will begin its modernisation programme at its Maputsoe border post – which it shares with Ficksburg in the eastern Free State,” said Woelk." “It will then be rolled out every three months to the other commercial border posts.” Also under the modernisation programme, inspections will be conducted at inspection hubs, and payments will be made electronically at the point of entry, Woelk added. “Lesotho is also buying electronic scanners. These should speed up the inspection process, allowing for a quick scanning of the trucks’ cargoes rather than the tedious unloading process.” Maseru border post – the other main and 24-hour crossing point along with Maputsoe – will only go live on the new system next January. “So,” said Woelk, “we’ll have to suffer the delays caused by the Lesotho manual system for the rest of this year.” And this has just been exacerbated by a recent SA Revenue Service problem with its AS11 and AS111 systems. “But, fortunately it only lasted for two days, otherwise delays would have got out of hand.” Woelk welcomed the entry of the Asycuda system to the Lesotho border posts. “While everybody’s unsure about the future, I believe it’s the way to go,” he said. “In the long term, it will have definite benefits. But we should be aware that in the short term there are likely to be the usual implementation hiccups."