Used motor vehicle importers win reprieve

Permits to be issued for vehicles to be driven in SA IMPORTERS OF second-hand motor vehicles won a temporary reprieve in a Durban court last week allowing them to resume driving the imports on South African roads. The reversal followed an urgent application that was lodged by clearing agents, receivers and shippers against a ruling by the Minister of Transport and the SA Revenue Service. The ruling had prevented the issuing of permits to drive imported used vehicles arriving through South African ports to their final destination in neighbouring countries, forcing the importers to use road haulage vehicles. According to the Department of Transport many of the used vehicles do not meet with South African standards of roadworthiness while Sars believes that some of the vehicles being imported are being illegally registered and sold in South Africa However the ruling by a Durban High Court judge last week means that vehicles can continue to be driven in transit across the country, subject to the issuing of permits, until the matter receives a final determination by the Constitutional Court. Up to 70 000 used motor vehicles enter South Africa through the ports annually, in transit to neighbouring countries where their sale is legal.