In November 2024, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) introduced an electronic platform for the management of customs registration, licensing and accreditation (RLA) submissions by importers and traders.It is described as “the new electronic platform for the management of customs registration/licensing applications implemented under the provisions of the Customs and Excise Act, no 64 of 1964”. A company wanting to register as an importer/trader should capture its details on the RLA eFiling platform on sarsefiling.co.za/landing. Once registered, Sars clients do not have to submit the DA 185 form and its supporting documents as the information will have been captured on the system. Some traders will, however, be required to use the manual process and complete the respective DA 185 and submit it with the supporting annexures to their nearest customs branch office.They are exporters in terms of AfCFTA (local and non-local); producers in terms of AfCFTA; consignors; and where there are deferments or drawbacks.The registration and licensing of all excise activities remains manual. This follows the 2023 launch of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme which, according to Clifford Evans, member of the South Western Cape committee of the South African Association of Freight Forwarders, is proving to be very successful.It is described as a voluntary accreditation programme designed by the World Customs Organization as a global standard used by customs administrations, partner government agencies, and the private sector to strengthen compliance, safety and security of the supply chain, while also building mutual trust and partnerships between government and businesses. The objective is to have fewer physical and document-based controls and to speed up customs procedures.There is also a level of trust as AEOs are recognised as secure and safe business partners, according to the Sacu regional AEO fact sheet. There are over 80 AEO programmes operational around the world. “It is a very good programme which benefits everyone,” he told Freight News. An AEO is defined as a company involved in the international movement of goods and approved by Sars customs as complying with World Customs Organization or equivalent compliance and supply chain security standards. Qualifying sectors include manufacturers, importers, exporters, brokers, carriers, consolidators, intermediaries, ports, airports, terminal operators, integrated operators, warehouses, distributors and freight forwarders.Application is electronic on the Sars website. ER
