Lesotho has raised concerns over South Africa’s declaration rule for foreign-registered vehicles with requirements affecting Basotho motorists entering its borders.
Minister of Finance and Development Planning Dr. Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane said the matter was discussed during bilateral talks with South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Mr. Enoch Godongwana, on the side-lines of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Council of Ministers meeting.
The new system requires motorists to pre-declare their vehicles before crossing the border, a process that some commuters believe has made travel and commercial activities more difficult.
The Government of the Republic of South Africa, through the South African Revenue Service (SARS), has commenced implementation of mandatory temporary import declarations for all foreign-registered vehicles entering South Africa.
This requirement is firmly grounded in South African national legislation and is being applied uniformly across all ports of entry.
While this requirement is not new in law, enforcement has historically been inconsistent particularly for member states of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).
SARS has now moved toward full and uniform enforcement. Full implementation across all SACU Member States commenced on 1st June 2026, and this phased approach is intended to allow adequate time for stakeholder engagement and public sensitization.
To facilitate a smooth transition, SARS has introduced an online declaration platform known as the Traveller Management System (TMS), which has been operational in pilot phase since 2022.
This system enables travellers to complete their declarations in advance, either through a mobile application or a web-based interface, thereby significantly reducing processing times at ports of entry. Travellers are strongly encouraged to make use of this platform before approaching the border.
Dr. Matlanyane said the issue was formally presented to the South African delegation.
She said Mr. Godongwana undertook to engage the relevant South African authorities before providing feedback to Lesotho.
The two ministers also discussed the commercialization and upgrading of the Sani Pass and Tele Bridge border posts, which are expected to improve trade, increase government revenue and create employment opportunities.
They further discussed the proposed Lesotho-Botswana water project, with Lesotho seeking South Africa’s participation through investment, transit arrangements and technical cooperation.
Source: Lesotho News Agency [LENA]
