Sars explores cross border data integration

SA Revenue Service is exploring cross-border integration as a logical next step on its modernisation journey. “We are speaking to our neighbours to have more data integration so that our systems speak to each other,” Beyers Theron, Sars executive for the Customs modernisation strategy and design, said at last week’s African Port Evolution Forum in Cape Town. “Through this process we will speed up border crossing even more.” According to Theron, the clearance time to import goods into South Africa has improved drastically thanks to the modernisation programme. “In 2011 it took an average of 32 days to import goods into the country. That was reduced to 23 days in 2012 and that is really attributed to the Customs clearance processes that have improved. There is more integration and the workflow is therefore faster while the electronic, paperless system adds further value.” Sars’ Customs modernisation programme played a key role in the country’s vastly improved performance in the World Bank’s ‘ease of trading across borders’ rankings, according to Theron. South Africa recorded the biggest improvement in the ease of trading across borders by introducing measures that reduce the time, cost and documents required for international trade “The entire aim of the programme was to facilitate South Africa’s trade and the Doing Business Report 2013 is a validation of what has been achieved so far. “Not only have we implemented an electronic and paperless system, but we have also standardised and simplified it at the same time. Along with that we also have a system that minimises the interaction between the customs officer and the trader that centralises decisionmaking and eliminates risk.” Theron said while the programme was not yet perfect it was starting to prove its worth. “At the Beitbridge border post the fastest recorded time from the arrival of a truck to departure was 13 minutes and that included the time taken by the driver to get out and have his passport stamped.” While this was not the average time and the border post continued to face its fair share of challenges, Theron said it did show that Customs procedures were speeding up and starting to add value, rather than hinder trade.” INSERT According to the latest World Bank report, South Africa recorded the biggest improvement in the ease of trading across borders. CAPTION Beyers Theron … ‘At Beitbridge the fastest recorded time from truck arrival to departure was 13 minutes.’