Tambo Springs mulls it options

The future of the proposed Tambo Springs Inland Port and Logistics Gateway (as it was originally titled) is still uncertain, according to Dr Willie Els of developers, Inframax Holdings. “In its original form the Customs Control Bill created problems,” he told FTW. The primary one of these, according to Els, was that this massive, 1 037-hectare, inland port project – expected to be the largest in Africa once completed – was definitely based on the principle that there would be clearing at the finished facility. “It would lose a lot of its efficacy if this were not the case,” he added. And the bill seemed to land Tambo Springs in that undesirable pot. Customs clearances, it said, would all now be done at the original port of entry. Also, that the ‘inland port’ title would be substituted with the new description of ‘inland container terminal’. But there might be a loophole which would save Tambo Springs in its proposed format, according to Els. “Following subsequent engagements with Sars,” he told FTW, “it appears that concessions have been made which should not impede the seamless movement of containers to inland port locations. “However, there are various opinions around this at the moment and we are busy engaging with various relevant parties and cannot form a finally conclusive opinion at this point.”