Johannesburg: The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has announced that both the legal and operational frameworks required to administer China's temporary zero-tariff scheme have been finalised. The Asian country announced in February this year that it would implement the zero-tariff policy with African countries which it has diplomatic ties with.
According to South African Government News Agency, SARS Commissioner Dr. Johnstone Makhubu explained that from June, it would be issuing Rules of Origin certificates for qualifying exports in this regard. "Beginning 1 June, we are introducing a simple, printable certificate format, allowing exporters to prove origin and claim the tariff preference straight away." Makhubu assured traders that no qualifying exporter will be left behind, with retrospective issuance of origin certificates for goods shipped or cleared after 1 May 2026.
This measure, the revenue collector said in a statement, confirms its commitment to "providing clarity and certainty while making the movement of goods easy and seamless [and].to facilitate legitimate trade and protect South Africa's customs system." Exporters can lodge security with China's customs administration in the absence of a certificate of origin, which will be released upon lodging a valid certificate obtained from SARS.
SARS reminded exporters that not all goods qualify for China's zero-tariff arrangement and that treatment depends strictly on meeting the Rules of Origin and presenting a valid SARS Certificate of Origin. Exporters must confirm eligibility with their trading partners in China and maintain proper origin documentation. Verification of issued certificates can be done by contacting [email protected], and exporters requiring assistance can also reach out to SARS at the same email address.