SARS concerned about job losses in textile industry

By Cindy Witten
19 December 2008

The South African Revenue services (SARS) closed down 37 out of the 47 shops in the recently opened China Town in Ottery. This after shop owners were unable to provide the necessary official documentation proving where the merchandise came from. SARS officials confiscated clothing and other merchandise, which will he held until shop owners can provide the required documents.

“The goods, in terms of the customs act, can be detained by SARS if the owners of a retail outlet cannot provide sufficient proof of how the goods were imported, where it came from and whether or not the correct amount of import duties of customs tariffs has been paid,” said SARS spokesperson Adrian Lackay.

Lackay says that the concern to SARS, particularly in the Western Cape, through their interaction with organised labour and the unions, is the impact that illegal imports have on job creation.

“The textile and clothing industry has been suffering job losses over protracted periods of time, which of course leads to direct loss of income for house holds, etc,” he said.

A warning to shop owners is that more raids have been planned for the festive season.