SARS has confirmed that its latest weekly list of unentered goods is available. According to the notice, goods may be taken into a State warehouse for safekeeping under Customs control, and goods that remain unentered may be disposed of in line with the Customs & Excise Act.
Who this affects
This matters most for South African importers, exporters and clearing agents with cargo that may be delayed, uncleared or otherwise not entered in time. It may also be relevant to any other party with an interest in the goods.
What it means in practice
The main practical point is that a weekly published list can be used to identify goods that have already moved into the State warehouse process. For affected shipments, this is not just an administrative update. It can affect whether cargo remains available for entry and collection, or moves further toward disposal if no action is taken.
What Sterdts clients should check
- Check the latest SARS weekly list directly to see whether any shipment, container or goods description matches your cargo.
- Confirm with your clearing agent or customs contact whether the goods have been formally entered and whether any outstanding documents or steps remain.
- Review any shipment that has been delayed at customs, held pending paperwork, or left uncleared for longer than expected.
- If you are acting as agent for a client, make sure the importer or other interested party is aware of the notice and the need to verify status quickly.
Important scope note
This is a narrow operational notice from SARS rather than a broad rule change. The exact effect depends on whether specific goods appear on the current list and on the status of each consignment. Sterdts clients should rely on the published SARS list and confirm shipment status before making clearing or delivery decisions.