SARS has introduced the Bond Automation Project making customs processing more efficient and user-friendly. This upgrade allows customs clients to manage bonds through the eFiling platform’s eAccount menu, simplifying compliance and document submission.

Key updates include revised policies and guides for easier bond registration via the RLA dashboard, and improved handling of supporting documents, which will be scanned and promptly returned to clients.

Further updates to the guides address the requirement that, when clients provide supporting documentation for processing, these documents will be returned to the client after they have been scanned by the Branch Agent.

The updated documents can be accessed through the following links:

Bonds & RLA Policies:

• SC-SE-05 – Bonds – External Policy

• SC-SE-05-A01 – Bond Assessment – External Annexure

• SC-CF-19 – Registration Licensing and Accreditation – External Policy

• SC-CF-19-A01 – Documentary Requirements – External Annexure

  Guides:

• SC-CF-42 – Customs Trader Portal – External Guide

• SC-DT-A-04 – Manage eAccounts on eFiling – External Guide

• SE-ACC-07 – Manage eAccounts on eFiling – External Guide

This initiative represents a major step in modernising South Africa’s tax and customs processes.