Sars threatens closure of Groblersbridge border to non-Sacu traffic

Clearing agents at Groblersbridge Border post between South Africa and Botswana are up in arms about the threatened closure of the border for all non-Sacu entries. An email distributed by SA Revenue Service last week announced that from July 3 no entries for non-SA Customs Union countries would be processed and that these should in future be rerouted via international border posts like Beitbridge. “If that’s the case I may as well close down my business,” said Johnny Clifford of Groblersbrug Border Clearing and Forwarding. “We knew nothing about it until this morning (June 2). We probably do about one Botswana entry a week – we export 99% of our loads to the likes of Zambia, Congo and Tanzania,” he told FTW. “It wasn’t discussed in any meeting and although it was mentioned four years ago, there was no further discussion until we received a letter this morning. “They gave us 30 days’ notice and said we must move to Beitbridge, But we have offices here and contracts for five years – and since we opened five years ago we have just renewed all our contracts.” Daniel Mabolabola of the Groblersbridge Sars office told FTW that the border post was originally designed to facilitate trade between Sacu member states and handle imports and exports from Botswana and Namibia. “But when we opened in 1998 we had an influx from Zambia and the DRC that overwhelmed the border and resulted in the legislation.” These entries should be processed through Beitbridge, he added. “The systems there are better geared to handle this traffic.” Mabolabola was however sympathetic to the concerns raised by agents. “I understand the frustration this matter has caused which is why we advised in our notification that they should address concerns to management.” The email urges anyone who has issues to address these in writing to the branch office management – with the promise that they will be lodged with Sars head office. If the ruling goes ahead, it will not only affect clearing agents. The branch will also be overstaffed and the future of its workers will be called into question. While there were plans to introduce the ruling with immediate effect, the branch was keen to give its clients time to object in writing.