File: A cracked windscreen. Mykola Miakshykov/NurPhoto via AFP
JOHANNESBURG - The South African Revenue Service is tightening the net around importers accused of circumventing anti-dumping duties on replacement vehicle windscreens from China.
SARS has imposed new anti-dumping duties on Chinese replacement windscreens following an investigation that uncovered alleged attempts to circumvent existing trade measures.
The investigation by the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) found that some importers were using tariff and country-hopping methods to avoid paying the applicable duties.
One of the routes identified involved Chinese windscreens being shipped through Malaysia before entering the South African market, a practice that allowed importers to avoid tariffs imposed on Chinese products.
The investigation was triggered by a complaint from PG Group’s Shatterprufe.
ITAC subsequently found that the alleged import practices were harming local manufacturers and recommended that the anti-dumping measures be extended.
Under the new measures, duties on the affected Chinese windscreens will range from 13 percent to 129 percent, depending on the exporter.