Results of surveys
During the Financial Year 2023/2024, SARS Customs facilitated a total number of over 7.8 million trade transactions amounting to R3.933 trillion. This represents a 11.7% increase in total trade transaction and a further 0.6% increase in total trade value from the prior year. Exports amounted to R2.02 trillion and imports of R1.91 trillion, resulting in a trade balance surplus of R108.8 billion.
SARS’ Programme for Authorised Economic Operators is designed to facilitate trade by providing a “green lane” experience to licensed operators. In 2023/24 SARS added 149 new and renewed 41 licenses. The total AEO licenses stands at 304 as at FYE 2023/24. The latter shows an improvement of 91 percentage point year on year growth.
In its Annual Performance Plan (APP) for 2022/2023, SARS has recognised the need to enhance trade facilitation. To this end, SARS aimed to develop a TFI based on international best practices. The measure of trade facilitation required a design of a credible index and as such SARS undertook a benchmark study in 2022/2023. To this end, a TFI score of 52.8% was established, which was approved and subsequently used as a baseline to set future targets and develop action plans to monitor performance improvement.
During the 2023/2024 SARS set an ambitious TFI target at 55%, representing an
increase of 2% from the baseline score. This baseline provides a starting point for
measuring improvements and identifying areas for enhancement. To this end, SARS achieved a TFI score of 72% for the financial year 2023/2024. This score is an improvement compared to the previous baseline score of 53% recording a variance of 19%. The TFI score of 72 surpasses the Sub-Saharan African average of 44% as measured by the OECD standard.
Overall results
Indicator category:
- Information availability
- Consultations
- Appeal procedures
- Fees and charges
- Formalities – documents
- Formalities – automation
- Formalities – procedures
- Border agency co-operation – domestic
- Border agency co-operation – international
- Governance and impartiality.
