SA Revenue Service has denied delays at the Namibian border following complaints directed to FTW by trucking companies.
“Currently our cross-border services are regularly delayed due to a sharp increase (260% up from January 2018 to February 2018) in Sars inspections at RSA border posts,” Juan Muller, Röhlig-Grindrod branch manager in Namibia told FTW.
“We have been informed that this is due to the adjustments made to Sars risk engines. It would appear that this action from Sars was not implemented with a corresponding adjustment in their staff complement, in order to handle the additional workload,” he said.
The delays were confirmed by Norbert Liebich, director of Transworld Cargo, who said that Sars seemed to be targeting groupage trucks.
Of 27 test shipments sent from Namibia to South Africa earlier this year, 17 were stopped without explanation.
“All queries are referred to a hub, and the customs official at the border has no say,” said Liebich.
Sars spokesperson Sicelo Mkosi said it was difficult for Sars to respond without specific references. FTW referred him to Liebich and Muller.
A second response reads: “In the absence of the said specifics, we have thoroughly examined our management information systems providing oversight on customs-controlled border posts with particular reference to Namibia (namely Skilpadshek, Vioolsdrift, Kopfontein and Nakop) as per the query.
“Sars wishes to affirm that due to the absence of specifics in your query we have had to conduct a broad analysis.
“The said analysis proves that for the period January 2018-February 2018, 64% of trucks exited the abovementioned border posts within 30 minutes, 11% within an hour, 8% within two hours and the balance within 3-4 hours.
“These statistics show that 83% of trucks exited these border posts within two hours.
“In our efforts to continuously improve and modernise our operations, we will be launching Reporting of Conveyances and Goods (RCG) that automates and operationalises provisions of Chapter 3 and its rules.
“This will also go a long way to facilitating and expediting cargo going through the borders. Outside of this Sars has clear procedures for documentary inspection delays and physical inspection delays that our teams adhere to.
“We would encourage particular road freight organisations to contact us with specifics if they feel they are being targeted unfairly so that we can validate the prevalence and investigate the root cause should the need arise.”
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Currently our cross-border services are regularly delayed due to a sharp increase in Sars inspections. – Juan Muller
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The Skilpadshek border ... Namibian truckers are complaining about Sars inspections.
