On 14 September Sars informed external shareholders, in writing, of the withdrawal of the general code for RCG. On 20 April Sars implemented the first phase of the RCG project. Persons impacted by the RCG implementation include shipping lines, airlines, rail carriers, road hauliers, freight forwarders (clearing agents), port and airport authorities, terminal operators, wharf operators, transit shed operators, licensees of depots and registered agents.
Any person required to submit a reporting document in terms of the Rules to section 8 of the Act, 1964, must, notwithstanding being registered or licensed under any other provision of the Act, 1964, apply for registration as a person submitting reporting documents. The relevant reporter codes assigned to such persons during this registration process are subsequently used and validated in both customs clearances, as well as cargo reports submitted to Sars electronically.
To allow sufficient time for such registrations to be completed amongst freight forwarders in the air environment, Sars has for a number of years now allowed the use of Cargo Carrier Code ‘ZZZ99999’ for ‘Non-registered cargo reporters’. As a result of the impending enforcement of reporting compliance, notice is hereby given that the use of the above code will be withdrawn from 19 November.
The code will be removed from the code table on that date and will no longer be available for use. Freight forwarders who remain non-registered after the abovementioned date could cause delays for their clients when clearing their goods through customs and are thus urged to register without further delay.