DURBAN - Concerns have been raised and directed at South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) about the rising practice of fraudulent certificates of origin being issued in South Africa and used to extort importers.
Commenting on the matter, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a Sacci member, said it had a decades-long history of issuing certificates of origin and trade certifications.
The Durban chamber is a Sars-authorised and International Chamber of Commerce-accredited issuer of certificates of origin and trade certifications.
“A certificate of origin is an important international trade document that certifies that goods in a particular export shipment are wholly obtained, produced, manufactured or processed in a particular country. It also serves as an official declaration by the exporter adding credibility to their product or service and the export/import process,” said Palesa Phili, Durban Chamber chief executive.
“Virtually every country in the world considers the origin of imported goods when determining the duty that will be applied or, in some cases, whether the goods may be legally imported at all.”
Sihle Zikalala, MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, commended the Durban Chamber for providing such an important accredited service to its members and organised business at large.
“Certificates of origin help to promote KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa as a tried-and-tested export destination for certain goods and products,” said Zikalala.
“Export and trade play a crucial role in promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth. They contribute to GDP growth and also drive industrialisation, manufacturing, technology adoption and much needed infrastructure upgrades,” he said.
The Durban Chamber said it was the biggest issuer of certificates of origin in South Africa.