The South African Revenue Service (Sars) has acknowledged feedback on the 24-hour traveller declaration window while outlining potential developments that could connect its digital declaration system with other border processes.
Source: ©Leung Cho Pan via
123RFA webinar on the South African Traveller Management System (SATMS) covered the practical requirements for travellers, customs declarations and payment, as well as possible future developments involving biometric technology, the Electronic Travel Authorisation system and digital processing at additional land ports.
Mandla Gugushe, portfolio manager of Sars Enterprise Programme Management, addressed stakeholder feedback on the 24-hour submission window. The feedback is “receiving attention”, but no change to the existing requirement was confirmed.
The submission window is intended to ensure that information reflects travellers’ final arrangements, including their travel details and the goods and currency they carry. It also gives Sars time to assess risk and complete processing before arrival or departure.
Travellers should continue to comply with the existing requirement. Any changes would be subject to the relevant governance and consultation processes.
What travellers need to provide
The webinar demonstrated how travellers complete declarations through SATMS, including providing passport or other travel document details, contact information, mode of transport, port, purpose of the journey and route.
The system caters for travel by air, road, sea and rail. Access is available through the Sars website, the SATMS app and the Sars MobiApp, while QR codes and self-service tablets at ports provide additional access points.
Adults can include children and travellers who require assistance in their declarations. Information should be updated if travel arrangements change. Travellers must also complete the declaration when they have nothing to declare.
Following submission, confirmation is sent by email or SMS. SMS confirmation is available only for South African mobile numbers, and travellers should keep their confirmation accessible in case it is requested during customs processing.
Goods, currency and customs duties
SATMS also collects information about goods and currency carried by travellers. Depending on the declaration, this can include the type and value of goods, the amount and type of monetary instrument, its source, country of origin and purpose.
Travellers should check applicable duty-free allowances and restrictions before departure. Prohibited or restricted goods may require permits or other authorisation.
The webinar distinguished individual traveller declarations from the separate customs procedures governing commercial goods imported or exported for trade. SATMS does not offer bulk registration for businesses, and business drivers must register individually.
Temporary exports may also need to be declared where required, allowing customs officials to verify items when they return to South Africa.
The practical demonstration included a calculation involving 50 shirts valued at R26,000, which generated duties of R3,200. This was an example of the system in use, not a standard duty rate for clothing. The amount payable depends on the goods and the applicable customs rules.
The payment options demonstrated included Visa and Mastercard payments online, as well as payment at the port.
Digital processing beyond SATMS
The discussion also covered potential developments that could connect traveller declarations with wider border management processes.
These included possible integration with Border Management Authority (BMA) processes and the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. Sars also discussed digital processing at land ports where paper-based procedures are still used.
Other possibilities included biometric and facial-recognition technology, incorporating VAT refund claims into outbound declarations and exploring a Trusted Traveller scheme. These were discussed as future developments, rather than confirmed operational features.
The plans would require cooperation between Sars, other government agencies and travel and transport stakeholders, including airlines, cruise operators, taxi and bus operators, and airport and seaport stakeholders.
Sars’s updated SATMS guidance, published on 23 October, also reflects changes to the system’s functionality, including the Lwazi AI assistant. The updated guides provide travellers and other users with information aligned with the system’s current functionality.
The webinar highlighted both the immediate requirements facing travellers and the potential for digital declarations to form part of a more connected border-processing environment. For now, the existing 24-hour submission window remains in place while stakeholder feedback receives attention.
