Software system addresses border delays

The customs modernisation programme has created many opportunities for greater efficiency when exporting or importing, says Gregory Bruce, Cape Town-based representative of forwarding and clearing software service provider Core Freight Systems. “We recently implemented the software for use in the processing of Sars documentation on behalf of a major fruit importer/exporter who was bringing grapes in from Namibia en route to Europe via South Africa,” he says. “We were advised that they were experiencing major delays at the border post because manual paper-based customs declarations were no longer acceptable. The situation was further complicated by the introduction of the new Sars CPCs at the start of November 2010.” They were referred to Core Freight in November last year. The situation was clarified with Sars and the necessary procedures instituted, says Bruce. “Within 10 days we were delighted to receive feedback from the client that the matter had been satisfactorily resolved, and that the shipments were rolling as required. In fact, the client reported that he had been contacted by a customs officer at the border post wanting to know how he had managed to get the transaction processed, as no other such shipments had been successfully cleared via EDI since the introduction of the new CPCs.” According to Bruce there was appreciation for both the functionality and supporting service available, which in turn allowed the importer/exporter to provide appropriate service levels to its customers.