Ziegler South Africa is pleased to share that in December 2023 we were accredited as an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) by SARS. Ziegler has received both the Level 1 (Compliance) and Level 2 (Safety and Security) accreditations, the highest level of accreditation available to the industry.
The AEO programme is based on a Customs-Private partnership to secure and facilitate global trade. The AEO programme was adopted at a Council Session of the World Customs Organization (WCO) in June 2005. Customs in South Africa launched their Preferred Trader programme in 2017 that focused on exporters and importers. The programme was later (2021) amended to include manufacturers, transporters, carriers, warehouses, clearing agents, freight forwarders etc.
The accreditation of Ziegler South Africa followed a stringent application process that began in July 2023 with the South African Revenue Services. The process involved audits by customs on the compliance and financial history of the company, internal processes, systems, and security, amongst others, of Ziegler South Africa and its subsidiaries. The accreditation process was in-depth and focused on the compliance levels and business model of Ziegler South Africa.
Being AEO accredited, Ziegler South Africa aims to continue to maintain the highest levels of service possible to clients through the benefits afforded to fully accredited partners of SARS. In addition, the assigning of a dedicated client relationship manager at SARS should assist in the seamless flow of clearances. Other authorities and government agencies will be aware of the accreditation and preferred status. Once Memoranda of Understanding is established with these agencies, the AEO benefits will extend to these entities as well over time.
Ziegler South Africa will assist any of our customers in the process of becoming AEO accredited. According to SARS, such accreditation should confer similar benefits in the form of reduced stops, your own client relationship manager and speedier turnaround times where there are interventions.
We strongly urge you to consider participating in the AEO accreditation program. If you are interested, please reach out to our client servicing team and we will provide further information related to the program.