Sars passes Beitbridge test with flying colours

The SA Revenue Service (Sars) promise of advantages for users from the customs modernisation Phase 3 has been kept, according to the cross-border freight service providers who talked to FTW after the recent implementation at the busy It will eventually take a truck only nine minutes from arrival to being cleared through the post.’ Beitbridge border post. In official words the promise was that the automated cargo management (ACM) system replacing the previous manifest acquittal system (MAS) would: ● Better ensure the receipt of clean data that meets appropriate standards; ● Process and validate cargo reports at a much faster rate than what was possible before; ● Allow for the holistic and automated risk profiling of goods by subjecting both the goods, declaration and the cargo report to the Sars customs risk engine (CRE); ● Allow for the resolution of risk-assessed cargo, as well as cargo mismatches, on a formal case management basis. In simple terms, according to the possibly hopeful words of a customs official at the border post on opening day, it would eventually take a truck only nine minutes from arrival to being cleared through the post. First in line as customs booted up the new system was a truck carrying cargo for Transcat, and carrying the ACM manifest generated by Sediba Clearing, using freight systems provider Easyclear’s system – and shepherded by representatives of both companies and a customs modernisation team. Each of the procedures was followed, and the final clearance achieved by scanning the bar-codes printed on the CN1 – and then the driver was on his way across the bridge to Zimbabwe. Said Michael Henning, GM of Easyclear: “We have been the only service provider present at each and every border post to date and implementation has been a great success – and everything went very quickly. “This innovation on this route to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries to the north of SA will ultimately speed up the processing and releasing of cargo and vehicles through the border. At the same time it will maintain the necessary control by customs, according to the risk profiles of their system.” Brian Kalshoven of Beitbridge Border Clearing Agency was equally enthusiastic about the new ACM system, and its speed of clearance. “Our experiences with ACM have been that we’ve put in our manifests and had our trucks cleared right away. It’s been as simple as that.” Amongst FTW’s other commentators only one problem was voiced. According to Charles Lezy of Cross Border Customs Clearing Agency, the problem was road transporters who were not yet registered with customs. “Apart from that,” he added, “the system itself works very well, and we welcome it.” The non-registration, said Ceu da Silva, branch manager of Manica Messina, can be overcome at the moment, as the trucks can still be cleared using the old MAS documentation. “But,” she warned, “come July 1, that will stop, and truckers who are not registered and using the old system will be stopped at the border.” So truckers are going to have to move fast and get registered if they and their users want to enjoy the highspeed clearances of the new ACM system.