Leonard Neill
THE SOUTH African Revenue Services (SARS) has come under fire from the Namibian Road Carriers Association (Namroad) for its lack of co-operation in the development of free flowing traffic along the Trans Kalahari Highway. A particular affront was the attendance of a single junior official at recent high level meetings between Namibia, Botswana and South Africa on the issue.
There was just one official in attendance who did not have decision-making powers when South Africa was the host country at our latest trilateral meeting in Pretoria, says Namroad chairman Willie du Toit. Naturally we were stunned. It was the third time the three nations had met at governmental level, with South Africa having top officials at the initial gathering in Gaborone, but no one from that country was there at the second session held in Windhoek.
We protested about that and fully expected to face at least a top level person when we arrived in Pretoria. It is clear that South Africa is just not interested in helping the development of the highway at this stage, which is a pity.
The whole thing is being handicapped by bureaucratic hassles on the South African side, which is causing unnecessary delays at the Lobatsi border post, and paperwork is duplicated resulting in additional costs, which have to be passed on to the consumer. The man in the street is the end sufferer once again
Border operating times are a major issue which the Namibian authorities want to see regulated. At present the Namibia-Botswana border remains open until midnight, but while Botswana is prepared to open until this time on its border with South Africa, the latter has refused to extend the extra two hours from the existing 22:00.
Ongoing battle will be revived at end of March
Customs operations are just not harmonised, says du Toit. Electronic systems are in place, but while we have preclearing on the
Namibia-Botswana side, there is a different set of rules going into or out of South Africa. Protocols to this effect were signed years ago, but the bureaucrats don't consider any of them. What it has amounted to is that we have had a long standing battle with SARS which we don't seem to be able to win, so we have nothing more to do than take the adapt or die attitude, for the time being anyway.
Right now vehicles are parked for hours at the South African border and transport companies are suffering losses. It is regretted that South Africa is not moving in tandem with its SACU partners on matters affecting the Trans Kalahari, whereas it is mostly South African trucks using the route.
According to Du Toit the ongoing battle with SARS will be revived at the next trilateral forum meeting planned for the end of March ('if SA is fully represented) and also at the SADC Transport Investment Forum, planned for Windhoek from April 24-26, a major conference which
is to be opened by Namibian state president Sam Nujoma.
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