Africa-Press – South-Africa. SARS and the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (dtic) have donated tons of seized clothing, blankets and footwear to flood victims in KwaZulu-Natal and elsewhere.
More than 35 800 seized blankets and duvets will eventually be distributed across affected disaster areas, including the Eastern Cape and North West.
South African legislation, as well as Nedlac agreements, stipulate that seized goods must be destroyed to avoid disruption to the market.
If SARS released or sold seized goods – typically illicit imports – in the market, this would mean South Africa businesses would lose out on potential sales.
But SARS said it received approvals from various key government stakeholders, as well as a “once-off deviation” from the Nedlac agreements, to donate – rather than destroy – these seized goods.
A task team has been launched and is working with the National Disaster Management Committee to oversee the donation, which is distributed in cooperation with the Department of Social Development and shelters that are housing people who were affected by the floods.
Last week, more than 1 600 blankets were donated to people at shelters in eThekwini.
“The blankets, especially now during winter, will a make difference to all,” said SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, thanking government departments who assisted with the distribution.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein upheld an appeal by the SARS justifying its decision to seize 19 containers of cheap clothes from China.
SARS was right to seize 19 containers of ‘unrealistically’ cheap Chinese clothes, SCA rules
“There was no credible explanation for the unbelievably low prices charged by the suppliers of the goods,” the court ruled on Tuesday. “The goods and the containers in which they were imported were liable to forfeiture.”
The ruling means that SARS was within its rights to first seize and then detain the containers. It also overturns a previous high court ruling ordering that the containers be released.
The tax agency confiscated the goods in 2020 on the basis that they had been clearly under-invoiced.
It argued that Gauteng-based clearing agent Dragon Freight and six other importers had been unable to explain how they were able to source clothes at around R3 an item.
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