A scanner costing R43-million — the first of 18 — has been put into operation at Durban harbour’s container terminal, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) said on Tuesday.
Leonard Radebe, head of customs at Sars, said the scanner would improve turnaround times at the congested Durban terminal.
With the introduction of the scanner, containers would not need to be opened.
Radebe said the other 17 machines would be rolled out at the various points of entry into the country in the next three years at a budgeted cost of R136-million.
He said not all the scanners would be huge static machines such as the one installed at the Durban harbour, and some would be smaller mobile scanners.
He said a pilot project started in 2004 had prompted the department to purchase the scanners, which would not only be deployed at sea ports but also border posts.
He said that apart from helping to eliminate smuggling, the scanners would also help his department to speedily determine what was actually in the container and would help combat tax evasion.
Radebe was speaking at a press briefing following the inaugural bi-monthly meeting in KwaZulu-Natal of the justice, crime prevention and security cluster held at Durban’s Westville prison.
Advocate Menzi Simelane, director general of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, said the visit by the directors was the first ”in a series of visits aimed at greater coordination and integration between national and provincial structures”.
The cluster includes the National Intelligence Agency and the National Prosecuting Authority.
The department heads also undertook a tour of Westville Prison and a visit to the scanner. – Sapa