Import duty report reveals mounting inefficiencies hurting SA’s trade system.

Loading player...
GUEST – Donald MacKay, CEO of XA Global Trade Advisors



XA Global Trade Advisors has released its seventh Import Duty Investigation Report, highlighting mounting inefficiencies in South Africa’s tariff system, growing backlogs, and the rise of so-called “zombie tariffs” that linger for years without resolution.



The report reveals that tariff investigations meant to conclude within four to six months are now taking an average of 27 months, with some cases unresolved for as long as 64 months. Alarmingly, 93.6% of tariff codes carrying duties have not been reviewed in over 20 years, resulting in outdated protections that stifle competitiveness and increase costs for businesses and consumers.
23 Sep 2025 4PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

SAFDA’s plan to rescue Tongaat-Hulett and protect farmers’ livelihoods

South Africa’s sugar industry faces a critical moment as Tongaat-Hulett, one of the country’s oldest and most prominent sugar producers, confronts provisional liquidation despite ongoing efforts to stabilise the business. South African Farmers’ Development Association (SAFDA), led by Chairperson Dr Siyabonga Madlala, has stepped in to assure farmers and employees…
19 Feb 2PM 17 min

South African professionals are facing a new era of stress

South African professionals are facing a new era of stress, one that is no longer confined to busy periods or isolated pressures but embedded in the fabric of everyday life. The 2025 Profmed Stress Index released on Thursday reveals a workforce grappling with financial strain, toxic workplace cultures, systemic instability…
19 Feb 2PM 11 min

Budget 2026: Tax Policy Choices and revenue strategy under fiscal pressure

As South Africa prepares for the 2026 National Budget Speech on 25 February, revenue collection and tax policy are expected to take centre stage. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana faces the difficult task of sustaining fiscal consolidation while supporting economic stability in an environment of modest growth and rising expenditure pressures…
19 Feb 2PM 12 min

Navigating personal finance challenges

As South Africans face a growing cost-of-living squeeze, more households are turning to credit not for luxury, but simply to cover everyday essentials. Rising prices for groceries, transport, school fees, rent, and electricity mean many families are borrowing just to survive, and debt is increasingly becoming a lifeline, with dangerous…
19 Feb 2PM 12 min

PG glass, Glasfit accused of price fixing in automotive glass market

South Africa’s automotive glass industry is under the spotlight after the Competition Commission found that two major players, PG Glass and Glasfit, allegedly operated as a cartel, working together to fix prices. The Commission has now referred the matter to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution, arguing that the companies entered…
19 Feb 2PM 11 min