According to the ANC there are 43 Bills that parliament has to pass before the elections in May. They have identified eight bills which they believe parliament should give special attention to and ensure they are passed into law.

Three of these prioritised bills are the Customs Control Bill, 2013; the Customs Duty Bill, 2013; and the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill, 2013.

Following its report back to the Standing Committee on Finance (SCof) SARS has published its draft response documents to these bills – Click HERE to view.

The Customs Duty Bill aims to provide for the imposition, assessment, payment and recovery of customs duties on goods imported into or exported from the Republic of South Africa; and for matters incidental thereto.

The Customs and Excise Amendment Bill aims to amend the Customs and Excise Act, 1964, so as to delete all provisions superseded by general provisions of the Customs Control Act applicable to all tax levying Acts; to delete all provisions relating to the customs control of imported goods and goods to be exported; to delete all provisions relating to the imposition, collection and refunding of customs duties and other matters relating to customs duties; to limit the remaining provisions of the Act to excise duties, fuel levies, Road Accident Fund levies, environmental levies, air passenger taxes and matters relating to such duties, levies and taxes; and to change the name of the Act to the Excise Duty Act, 1964; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

The Customs Control Bill aims to provide for customs control of all vessels, aircraft, trains, vehicles, goods and persons entering or leaving the Republic of South Africa; to facilitate the implementation of certain laws levying taxes on goods and of other legislation applicable to such goods and persons; and for matters incidental thereto.

(Source: Duty Bound)