SARS Customs Update: Chinese Steel Anti-Dumping Duties and Facility Codes
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Several customs updates affect importers and clearing agents this week. Between 22 and 29 September 2026, SARS updated the customs facility code list, published its weekly list of unentered goods, and carried out scheduled system maintenance. No new tariff or rule amendments were published during this week, so this update also recaps the anti-dumping duties on Chinese steel published on 18 September, which will raise costs sharply over the next three years.
Anti-dumping duties on flat-rolled steel from China
Published in Government Gazette 55424 on 18 September 2026, these notices impose anti-dumping duties on flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel and other alloy steel under Chapter 72, originating in or imported from China (ITAC Report No. 778). The duty rises in four stages:
5.5% up to and including 11 June 2027, under Notice R.7937.
20.5% from 12 June 2027 to 11 June 2028, under Notice R.7938.
35.5% from 12 June 2028 to 11 June 2029, under Notice R.7939.
57.84% from 12 June 2029, under Notice R.7940.
A separate rate of 8.21% applies to products made by Shandong Guanxian Foryune Composite Materials Co. Ltd under Notice R.7941. Check the notice itself for the implementation date.
Who this affects: Any client importing flat-rolled steel from China. The rate rises more than tenfold over three years, so costing, pricing and supplier decisions should factor this in now.
Facilities Code List updated (25 September)
SARS has updated the facility codes used in Box 30 of the Goods Declaration to include the terminal of Port Dynamics (Pty) Ltd in Durban. This lets Customs send electronic status messages about consignments to that facility.
Who this affects: Importers, exporters and clearing agents using the Port Dynamics terminal in Durban.
Document: SC-CF-19-A02: Facilities Code List, External Annexure
Weekly List of Unentered Goods (28 September)
Customs manages state warehouses where goods are kept for safekeeping. The weekly list notifies importers, exporters and anyone else with an interest in the goods that they have been moved to a state warehouse. If the goods remain unentered, they will be disposed of under the Customs and Excise Act.
Who this affects: Importers and exporters with uncleared goods.
Document: Customs Weekly List of Unentered Goods
Scheduled systems maintenance (25 September)
SARS scheduled maintenance for Saturday 26 September 2026 from 17h00 to 23h00, warning of possible interruptions on eFiling, tax and customs digital platforms. This has passed, but if a client's customs submission failed during that window, check that it went through.
Tariff amendments and rule amendments
No new tariff amendments or customs rule amendments were published between 22 and 29 September 2026. The latest notices are listed on the Tariff Amendments 2026 and Rule Amendments 2026 pages.
Tariff determinations
SARS publishes tariff determinations on its Tariff Determination Search Engine. If a client imports goods where the classification is uncertain, search there for determinations on similar products before submitting a declaration.
What you should do
Steel importers: Warn clients importing flat-rolled steel from China about the new duties and the yearly increases.
Importers with uncleared goods: Check the weekly unentered goods list so goods are not disposed of.
Durban clearing agents: Use the updated facility code list for the Port Dynamics terminal.
All customs clients: Confirm that any submissions made on the evening of 26 September were processed.
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