Customs Information 

    Customs Hours 

       Mon-Fri 09:00-15:00 

       Lunch 12:30-13:30 

       Sun 10:00-15:00 

       Sat Closed 

Clearance Procedures 

    Approximate Clearance Time(Hrs) 

       Documents 1 

       Low Value 48 

       High Value 48 

Additional Information 

    1 - Low Value shipments including samples should have commercial invoice attached to the shipment. 

    2 - High Value shipments (>70 USD) must have original commercial invoice with correct declared value 

       attached to the shipment and on InfoAXS. 

    3 - Harmonized Tarrif Heading HS Code* should be mentioned on high value shipments invoices. 

    4 - VAT number and importer code are prefered to be mentioned on High value shipments invoices. 

    5 - Customs authority will impose penalties and additional payments on misdeclared goods, and if 

       consignee refuses to pay the amounts origins should bear charges whether shipments are requested 

       to be destroyed or returned. 

    6 - Harmonized Tarrif Heading HS Code* this is to classify traded products by names and numbers according 

       to the harmonized commodity description and coding system, HS code speeds the clearance process specially 

       for shipments that are with unknown commodity description. 

    7 - Before knowing if there are any charges to destroy shipments, the following procedure should be 

       completed and submitted to customs: 

       1). Letter from agent. 

       2). Letter from importer. 

       3). Indemnity from importer – against customs for any claims. 

       4). Goods to be moved to state ware house (SWH) before/within 14 day period of expiry – documentary 

          evidence therefore required. 

    8- In addition to this, customs needs: 

          1). Letter from both parties to state FULL reason and explanations. 

          2). All letters MUST be on company letter heads (originals) reflecting original signature. 

          3). All supporting documentations, pertaining to each case, MUST be attached. 

          4). In the case where destruction is granted, it MST be done under customs supervision. In such instance, 

             the owner/importer will be responsible for ALL storage, removal, and destruction costs. 

          5). No duties will be called for when goods are abandoned/destroyed; however, this does NOT apply for

             provisional payments (penalties) called for. After we submit these documents to South African Revenue 

             Service (SARS) they then should advice charges to us. Please note that (dutiable) shipments sent to 

             South Africa with value less or equal to R 500 (62$) will be automatically cleared on the spot as bulk

             clearance with a percentage of 20% of goods declared value. These charges will be billed back to the

             consignee and in case of refusal; the charges will be billed back to the origin. Automatic cleared 

             shipment will not have a separate customs bill of entry or invoice as it is paid in bulk for all low 

             value shipments. In case of free domicile service is required; the 20% amount will be added to the free

             domicile service charges and will be debited to the origin without the submission of separate official

             customs receipts. For shipments 500 ZAR (65 USD) and above, there will be Agency Fee: $22.00 and 

             Documentation Fee: $22.00 applied to the clearance charges. 

Commodity Information 

       National Tax Rate 14 

       Low Value Limit 50 USD 

       High Value Limit 0 USD 

    Non Dutiables 

       Airline tickets, validated 

       Annual reports Checks, cancelled 

       Checks, payroll 

       Business cards 

       Catalogs 

       Checks, blanks 

       Checks, cancelled 

       Checks, payroll 

       Checks, travellers 

       Computer printouts 

       Documents 

       Invoices 

       Manuscripts 

    Dutiables 

       Advertising 

       Alcohol 

       Books 

       Credit cards 

       Drugs, prescription 

       Film, photos, slides 

       Foodstuffs, non-perishable 

       Magazines 

       Manuals 

       Newspaper 

       Parts, aircraft 

       Parts, computer 

       Parts, electronic 

       Parts, machine 

       Software/CD ROM 

       Credit card blanks 

       Diskettes(with data or blank) 

       Tobacco 

       Video tapes 

    Unacceptables 

       Dangerous Goods 

       Plants 

       Life Stock 

       Perishable Goods