The requirement that certain exporters submit SADC Certificates of Origin to the customs office closest to their place of business is not a new measure and applies only to exporters without a binding origin determination, SARS has clarified.
The clarification follows concerns raised during a DSV trade webinar about the requirement for exporters to process hard-copy SADC Certificates of Origin at designated customs offices and the potential impact on certificate processing.
DSV senior customs specialist and consultant for air and sea, Russell Mackenzie, said the arrangement was placing pressure on some customs offices and delaying exporters’ efforts to obtain certificates.
However, SARS told Freight News that the requirement had been in place since June 30, 2023, following the publication of Notice R 3620 in Government Gazette 48862.
Under the rule, exporters without a binding origin determination must submit the certificate, export bill of entry and supporting documents to the prescribed customs office closest to their place of business.
Exporters holding a binding origin determination were exempt from this requirement and may submit their certificates at any designated Customs and Excise office, SARS said.
The requirement was intended to support compliance while limiting inconvenience to exporters, particularly where goods may need to be inspected before export.
SARS also confirmed that there had recently been temporary availability problems involving Rules of Origin certificates at OR Tambo International Airport and its Alberton Campus branch.
The problems had been limited to the two high-volume offices and had been addressed through coordinated interventions, SARS said.
Certificate availability has since stabilised and operations at the affected offices have returned to normal.
SARS did not link the temporary certificate availability problems to the requirement for exporters without binding origin determinations to use their nearest prescribed customs office.
The revenue service is also working to further automate its Rules of Origin processes to streamline certificate administration and reduce reliance on manual documentation.
