Sars/Zimra seek ‘partnership’ solution to Beitbridge congestion

The South African Revenue
Service (Sars) and the
Zimbabwean Revenue
Authority (Zimra) will soon
jointly host traders to deal with
challenges at the Beitbridge
border post and “leverage on
opportunities in partnership
with the business community”.
This according to Sars
spokesperson, Sandile Memela,
who confirmed to FTW that
this resolve followed a recent
meeting between the two
revenue authorities to discuss
“various concerns” raised by
SA stakeholders about the
ever-mounting cost of doing
business through the border
post.
He said the discussion
centred around
operationalising a one-stop
border post (OSBP) between
Sars and Zimra, concerns
that traders and transporters
were moving their business
to other ports of entry, as well
as initiatives to protect local
industries, including clothing
and textiles.
“The discussion further
acknowledged the importance
of other critical value chain
players from both countries,”
said Memela.
But transporters are
questioning just how “valuable”
Sars deems their advice as
while they were asked – a day
before the meeting took place
– “to provide issues / concerns
and proposals to deal with
current business challenges in
Beitbridge” ahead of the urgent
meeting, they were not invited
to the meeting, and given very
little time to respond to the
request.
“We were told there was
a meeting the next day and
initially believed that we could
join and also hoped that we
could summon some support
from the transporters in
Johannesburg to attend with
us but were told that we were
not invited,” said a transport
representative based at the
border.
He added that the “powers
that be” tended to forget
that the private sector had
to constantly comply with
government and system
changes and “hence has
valuable input to get this
right”.
“I believe the industry
should have been invited.
The dictatorial stance from
both authorities ensures that
new changes to systems and
procedures are implemented
without consultation, and
the accompanying delays are
a direct result of having to
continually try and find new
and inventive ways to comply,”
he commented.
An agent based on
the South African side
of the border said many
transporters and agents
were losing clients over the
inefficiencies and delays and
constant introduction of
new policies and regulations.
“Retrenchments are on
the cards for many border
companies if issues don’t get
resolved soon,” she said.
Another transport operator
told FTW that while it was
“refreshing” that Sars had
shown interest in hearing from
those based at
the border post
he had noted
that they hadn’t
attended all
cross-border
stakeholder
meetings,
especially
when they were
held on the
Zimbabwean
side.
“Recently
Zimra
Beitbridge
removed a
number of senior management
from their posts due to
fraudulent activities and when
I mentioned this in one of
the inter-border stakeholder
meetings held between
agents, transporters and
Sars, Sars was
shocked and
completely
unaware even
though it was
almost monthold
news,” he
pointed out.
He said this
was a sign that
Sars officials
were not
communicating
with their
counterparts
on a regular
basis and
therefore were unable
to properly advocate for
change.
INSERT & CAPTION
The discussion
acknowledged
the importance of
other critical value
chain players from
both countries.
– Sandile Memela