New SI for cargo in transit in force

Published: 19 September 2017

THE Government has promulgated Statutory Instrument 113 of 2017, which brings about changes to improve the management of transit cargo.

The amendments follow the recent introduction by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) of the Electronic Cargo Tracking System to curb transit fraud and smuggling, as well as plug revenue leakages.

The Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) was commissioned by Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa on May 15.

Zimra head of corporate communications Mr Canisio Mudzimu said S.I. 113/2017 brings about legislative changes to improve the management of transit cargo in Zimbabwe.

In summary, the S.I. provides for the following: containers and vehicles conveying goods through Zimbabwe shall not be opened while in Zimbabwe; any seals or electronic seals, which are found or placed on the containers and vehicles shall not be broken or tampered with; all road vehicles and containers conveying goods through Zimbabwe shall be fitted with a device to facilitate customs sealing, and where there are no such locking systems on the road vehicles and containers, the hinges shall be so made and fitted that doors and closing systems cannot be lifted off the hinge pins once shut.

In addition to S.I. 113/2017, screws, bolts, hinge pins and fasteners shall be welded to the outer part of the hinges and a fee of $30 shall be payable on all road vehicles conveying goods and break-bulk cargo through Zimbabwe, where such seals and/or magnetic sealing cables are placed on the cargo.

Mr Mudzimu said road vehicles conveying break bulk cargo through Zimbabwe should be covered with a single tarpaulin tent with reinforced holes at the edges for placement of magnetic sealing cable and electronic seals.

"On road vehicles carrying abnormal break bulk loads, which cannot be covered by a single tarpaulin tent, written permission to allow the transit of such cargo should be sought from the commissioner-general of Zimra.

"Other road vehicles, which cannot be covered or sealed as required by the commissioner-general, shall be escorted at the sole discretion of the commissioner-general, and costs shall be borne by the operator of the road vehicle so requiring it to be escorted," he said.

As a result of the new changes, the flanges (filler caps), drain corks, and manholes of tank wagons shall be so constructed and have holes that are intact, not broken and of a size to facilitate customs sealing.

"Tank wagons shall not have interlinking trailers; where seals are tampered with, lost or there is unauthorised breaking of electronic seals placed on a road vehicle, the offender shall be liable to a penalty of $1 300.

"The transporter shall be liable to a penalty $2 000 for diversion from the route specified by the commissioner-general of Zimra," said Mr Mudzimu.

He added that the transit period of three days for cargo shall include weekends and public holidays.

ECTS involves the use of electronic sealing devices, which are put on transit cargo at the port of entry and monitors cargo in real time up to the point of exit.

The cargo tracking system is integrated into Zimra's existing customs clearance system — Automated System for Customs Data (Asycuda) World — and the electronic sealing devices send an alarm to the system's control room on any violations, which include seal tampering, seal opening and incidents of geo-fence violations.
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