Technical glitch delays MAS launch

Although October 1 was originally deadlined for the electronic switch-on of customs’ new manifest acquittal system (MAS), some technical delays have interrupted that big moment. According to Dave Watts, Durban based executive of the SA Association of Freight Forwarders-KZN (Saaff-KZN), all that happened on D-day was that the appropriate legislation was gazetted. But SA Revenue Service (Sars) customs – while they now have the right to order the switchon – have not yet enforced it. Until they do there is no mandatory rule for everyone to submit all customs documentation electronically. “I don’t think customs is likely to order the go-ahead until everything and everyone is ready,” said Watts – although he suggested that the switch-on order was imminent. Although some of the clearing and forwarding industry still runs the old manual system, “everybody is working on setting up the appropriate systems,” he added. It’s not an issue of discontent in the trade – anything but. According to Watts, Saaff sat in with the authorities at a series of meetings and monitored the creation of the new system. And it’s not only a good idea – adding the time-efficiency of other electronic link-ups between customs and the freight industry – but an absolute necessity, he added. “With the millions of shipments coming into the country each year,” he said, “you just can’t clear and acquit them all manually.” Sars customs agreed. The current cargo manifest control process is an ineffective, slow, hand-driven process, they told FTW, and important operational information – for example, risk profiling data, and time of clearance – is not available when required. There are a number of problems with the traditional manual process, according to a Sars spokesman. It is timeconsuming and non-integrated, and human resources are needlessly wasted on mundane and redundant functions. It also does not match the requirements of modern trade. There is a lack of proper cohesion between manifest control and clearance processes, and too many parties are involved in decision-making, which minimises control over the complete process.