Road transporters are
facing a major problem,
with clients requesting the
SA Revenue Service (Sars)
customs notification (CN1
and CN2) documents as
part of their proof of export,
and withholding transport
payments if these are not
produced, according to a
trucking company executive
who wished to remain
anonymous.
“This is a contentious
issue,” he said, “as most
exporters simply do not
understand the new paperless
electronic data interchange
(EDI) system, as they were
used to receiving a stamped
manifest from the border.”
And demands for the CN
documents are pointless
and, at times, impossible, he
added.
“The single administrative
document (SAD) transmitted
by EDI is the only real proof
of export that clients need
to prove goods have left the
republic,” he told FTW.
“But I fully understand
clients requesting the CN1,
as Sars now refuses to stamp
manifests, and has replaced
this with the introduction of
the CN1 – the CN2 being the
gate pass.”
And indeed Sars confirmed
that it would no longer
stamp SAD forms in a letter
to traders/agents issued
by its customs and border
management section in
May. “Instead,” it added, “a
system-generated release
notification (CN1 form) will
be issued” – and this message
will also be communicated
electronically to the registered
trader/agent and the CN1
form handed to the driver as
proof of release.
But another complication
can now raise its head, our
trucker said.
“What the clients don’t
seem to understand is that
these documents are not
handled by our clearing
agents. It’s only Sars that
issues these documents once
the truck enters the customs
-controlled area – and the
CN2 is now the gate pass for
the truck to exit the border.”
Also, sometimes Zimbabwe
customs (Zimra) officials
demand the CN1 as proof
that the truck was exported
correctly from SA – and keep
this copy. “If drivers start
arguing,” he added, “they are
told that these documents are
for customs officials – not
drivers.”
It’s a real headache for
the truckers when these
situations occur, and clients
are still insisting that they
produce copies of the CN1
and CN2 as proof of export
for their cargo. It can mean
the trucker’s border office
staff running after the
trucks down to the customscontrolled
area to collect
these Sars-printed CN1 and
CN2 documents, returning
to the office to photocopy
them and then returning the
originals to the border post.
The truck is now delayed
in the customs-controlled
area while this process takes
place.
“On the trucks where
we find no CN1 and CN2
documents at all, it’s a bigger
problem,” said our contact,
“with our border staff trying
to locate the originals. And,
if they were taken by Sars or
Zimra, with them waiting for
hours at counters requesting
copies.”
To try to find a solution to
this problem, several clearing
agents and transporters have
approached Sars to request
that they clarify the issue
once and for all.
Part of their case is that
the EDI system has been
introduced to create a
paperless environment, and
clients demanding these CN
papers as proof of export are
defeating the whole objective
of having it.
“This issue is now at a
senior level,” said the trucker,
“and we are expecting a
memo from Sars shortly.
Hopefully we will get
clarity on the whole CN1/
CN2 story, and this will be
communicated to everybody.”
CAPTION
Trucks often delayed as CN1 and CN2 documents are located.