Zimbabwe reader offers advice on single customs document concept

I REFER to your issue dated March 15, 2002 regarding shipments from Walvis Bay to Gauteng. (The article called for Gauteng freight forwarders to join a pilot scheme to test the use of a single customs document to cover consignments from Gauteng to Walvis Bay).
Our company has been operating on a similar system for a number of years. The transporter uplifts consignments in Bulawayo (Kango Products).
There's one set of documents for goods in transit to Namibia. Transport travels from Bulawayo to Vic Falls via Kazungula Ð Zimbabwe. Then Kasani border and Ngoma (Botswana) and finally into Namibia at Ngoma.
Do not hand the driver one bulk set as each border post retrieves copies for their files. When this vehicle exits at the last border post he will not have enough copies left as the officials take one or two pages too many.
We photostat the whole set of documents and mark as follows: 1) Zimbabwe;
2) Botswana; 3) Namibia.
On arriving at the Kazungula post the driver hands in the four sets of documents, the original and three photostat sets. Each border post will now have its set. On exiting the last border post he will have his full set of originals which is then returned to the sender with a proof of delivery.
You could also have the seal checked at each border post by customs. This will enable a 100% check in cases of pilferage.
I wish all involved the best of luck in the implementation of the Walvis Bay Ð Gauteng corridor.
HD Noble, documentation manager, Kango Products, Zimbabwe.