August 2011
One-stop border post and Customs Modernisation – Release 2
CUSTOMS – LEBOMBO
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Introduction – Customs Modernisation changes
• On 1 November 2010 SARS embarked on the first phase of a new
declaration processing system. This included replacing purpose
codes for declarations with procedure category and customs
procedure codes.
• On 6 May 2011, SARS replaced its old Manifest Acquittal System
(MAS) with the Automated Cargo Management (ACM) system.
• On 10 June, Customs Modernisation Release 2 was implemented at
4 offices: ORTIA, JHB, Durban and Cape Town.
• On 5 August Doringkloof , Germiston and Bloemfontein went live.
They will be followed by six other offices – King Shaka International
Airport, Richards Bay, Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth airport, Cape
Town International Airport on the weekend of 20 August. Lebombo
will be a pilot for land border posts from 3 September. Dates for the
other offices have yet to be confirmed.
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Customs Modernisation: Customs Inspection
Release 2 includes the introduction of an electronic case management system (Service
Manager) and new inspection process which will help eliminate the current manual stop
and inspection process.
Electronic Case Management Workflow
Submit
Declaration
• Validation
• Payment
• Risk Analysis
Release
• Call for Docs
• Create Case
Version Control
Await Docs
Electronic Submission of Supporting Docs
• Docs
Received
• Assess Case
• Stopped For
Inspection
Electronic Dashboard Status Tracking
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Additional
Payments
Release
Electronic Release
Lebombo – proposed cargo declaration process
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•
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Import and Export Document Inspection and Finalisation/Adjustment teams will be
located at the KM7 office and will perform both Exports and Imports cases.
The cases will be allocated on a ‘get next’ basis to resources in ORTIA & Doringkloof,
which will allow optimised capacity for the Border Post. It will also cut out the
opportunity for collusion as an inspector sitting in Doringkloof could be assessing a case
for Lebombo.
All cases that are submitted outside of the 8am to 5pm office hours will be processed by
the Lebombo office.
All cases where the supporting documents arrive manually at Lebombo will be manually
allocated to the Lebombo Team for processing on SSM
All Physical Inspections and the results capturing on the SARS system will be performed
at the area of Inspection
– KM7 for Full Unpacks (Import & Export), Export Tailboards & Export Supervisions
– Cargo Bypass Area for Import Tailboards & Export Acquittals
• Manual Supporting Document intake will only be accepted at the Service Desk of KM7
• Bookings and General Queries can be made at the KM7 office and the Border Post
Service Desk
Lebombo – proposed cargo declaration process
MAIN BORDER POST
KM7
Exports & Import Full
Unpack Inspections &
Export Supervision
Inspections
(6am-12pm)
DI & FIN/ADJ processing
at HUB
(8am to 5pm)
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Import & Export BackOffice Processing
(DI & FIN/ADJ)
(6am-12pm)
Imports Sample & Tailboard
Inspections;
Export Supervision Acquittals
(6am-12pm)
Release 2 - Supporting Documents
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•
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Under the new release, when a customs broker or trader receives an electronic
customs status response message with the code ‘13’, via the EDI channel, this will
imply that Customs requires the declarant to submit supporting documents for a desk
audit.
Note: this is the equivalent of a ‘detain for customs’ in the past.
The e@syScan package should be used by a customs clearing agent, importer or
exporter to directly upload supporting documents as required by Customs. It is
available through the various Trade Bureaus.
For traders/declarants who operate electronically via the EDI channel, and who do
not have access to the e@syScan software, they will be able to deliver supporting
documents to their nearest Customs branch office. Initially, the branch offices at
Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and ORTIA were given dedicated scanning
facilities where the supplied documents will be uploaded and then returned to the
trader. Doringkloof and Germiston will also have branch scanning facilities.
Lebombo will not scan any Supporting Documents and it could take longer to process
the case if documents are not submitted through the electronic channels. Please try
to submit through the electronically provided channels
Supporting Documents ctd…
• Bulk scanning facilities have also been made available at SARS Processing
Centres in Alberton, Doringkloof, Durban and Cape Town. If clients have
supporting documents that need to be scanned for any of the offices that
have already gone live, they can go into one of these centres where the
documents will be scanned in bulk and returned immediately.
• For those who choose not to use e@syScan, bulk scanning or office
scanning (in the specified offices), the current manual procedure will
apply. However, the manual process will take much longer and traders
are urged to make use of one of the electronic options for submission of
documents, where possible.
• Please note: Clearing Agents and Traders are not to submit or bring
supporting documents into Customs offices that have already gone live
unless requested via a system-generated notification.
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Cargo Inspection – Booking process
New Inspection procedure
• Step 1: A Document Inspector indicates electronically that an inspection is needed
on a specific case.
• Step 2: The SARS system sends an electronic request to the trader to make an
inspection booking. The trader has up to four days to make the booking using the
same process per port as they are using today.
• Step 3: If a booking is not made after four days, a reminder is sent to the trader via
EDI. If they are not an electronic trader, then they will be notified via a Customs
branch.
• Step 4: When a booking is made using the same method as used in the past, this
will be captured electronically on to the new SARS system called Service Manager
• While some steps will now be done electronically, other steps remain the same.
Traders will use the same process they are using today to make bookings.
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Cargo Inspection - Finalisation
• Another difference for traders is that they will no longer receive a DA 74
(inspection release note) from the branches that are going live with the
new inspection process. This has been replaced with a SARS Service
Manager-generated release note as the only form of release.
• In the past, inspectors manually completed a DA 74 and gave it to the
agent. Under the new procedure, the inspector will go back to the office,
write a report on his findings which will then be captured on Service
Manager. It will then go to a Finalisation Officer who will make a decision
based on the report. The final outcome of the case will then be sent to the
trader via EDI (if electronic) or the Customs branch (if manual) in the form
of a release note.
• Traders can also track the progress of their case through the SARS call
centre (0800 00 7277) or at a Customs branch where Customs staff
members can check the status on a Service Manager dashboard.
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Release 2 - Customs Clearance
• Amendments to Cross border (CCA) clearances will now be administered
via a SAD504 in respect of import clearances and the SAD554 in respect of
export clearances. The SAD503 is withdrawn from use.
• Refund applications (DA66) lodged in respect of refunds and drawbacks will
follow the current assessment and approval processes. Traders should take
note that refund amendments (vouchers of correction) can also be
submitted via the EDI channel for processing by Customs.
• Provisional payments (DA70) in respect of ‘surety’, ‘penalty’, and
‘forfeiture’ will follow the current assessment, approval and payment
process.
• Processing of all other non-declaration financial documents will follow the
current processes.
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Release 2 - VOCs
Enhancements to the Voucher of Correction (VOC) process have been introduced.
• Note should be taken that if an agent requests a VOC, the agent should not
reflect any case number on the VOC when submitting to the office. The system
will send you an electronic message to notify you that the VOC has been
received and a case number will be reflected. You will use this case number to
submit your supporting documents.
• The draft VOC and a letter of explanation needs to be submitted as part of your
supporting documents, giving a detailed explanation as to why the amendment
is required.
• If there is an open case on the original declaration then you will not be able to
submit a VOC on that case unless you are asked for one by Customs via the
Request Amendment (26) message. In this instance, the case number and
Change Acknowledgement Indicator (CAI) fields are mandatory as well.
• When a trader is submitting a VOC of their own volition (not requested by
Customs) they should firstly ensure that there is no open case linked to the LRN
and then submit their VOC without a case number or the Change
Acknowledgement Indicator.
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What we need from you
• Ensure that staff in your office who actually submit the entries get training
on the changes from their bureaus. Check with your bureaus that you have
the latest software needed to submit supporting documents through
e@syFile.
• If you have any issues during or after go-live, please contact your
broker/bureau first to make sure there is no problem from their side. You
can then follow the SARS escalation process.
• SARS will set up an Operational Support Centre for query resolution during
go-live. Clients are to firstly contact a person designated by the branch as the
first point of contact. They will then escalate the issue to a branch super-user
who, if necessary, will escalate it to the OSC. If you still have no luck, then
contact the Branch Manager. Last recourse should be the Regional Executive
(Leon Potgieter, LPotgieter4@sars.gov.za) and finally the Group Executive
(Rae Cruikshank, rcruikshank@sars.gov.za). These details will be made
available to trade before go-live.
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