New customs legislation – live testing soon?

Industry expects the new
customs legislation roll-out
to kick off in March next
year.
While the South African
Revenue Service (Sars) has
opted not to give a date
for the implementation of
the new customs duty and
control acts, most industry
experts believe this will be
the start of the long-awaited
process.
According to customs
expert Clifford Evans,
aspects of cargo and
conveyance reporting will be
rolled out first.
“Sars has been
encouraging airlines
and shipping lines to be
electronically compliant
before the legislation is
rolled out,” he told FTW.
Evans said compliance
of airlines and shipping
lines was crucial as noncompliance
would result in
increased customs stops and
real delays in the movement
of cargo.
According to Mike
Walwyn,
chairman of
the Cape’s
Port Liaison
Forum,
industry
would be
best advised
to choose
carriers
with care
ensuring
they are
using
reputable
companies
that are compliant with the
legislation.
He stressed however
that it was not just air- and
shipping lines that had to
become compliant. “It is
vital that the consolidators,
both air and sea, should
do so as well – especially
in light of the many
small groupage operators
out there who are not
electronically connected.”
Evans said
industry fears
over the much
anticipated
customs
sufficient
knowledge test
that would be
required for
registration
with Sars
were also
diminishing
as more
information
about the test
was being shared.
“We are informed that
customs is going to be doing
live testing in the very near
future to ensure the system
is ready for implementation
when the new legislation is
implemented,” he said.
INSERT & CAPTION
Sars has been
encouraging airlines
and shipping lines
to be electronically
compliant before the
legislation is rolled out.
– Clifford Evans