Julius Baumann
10 November 2009
Johannesburg — THE South African Revenue Service (SARS) is investigating several complaints against its customs unit that some of its searches for drugs and other contraband at the country's airports bordered on harassment.
Last month Paula Martinez, an Argentinian, laid a complaint against both SARS and the South African Police Service after being subjected to hours of intrusive body and luggage searches by rude and unhelpful customs officials at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, Cape Town businesswoman Tamra Veley has in the past year been subjected to 23 searches by customs officials at OR Tambo; all found nothing.
A further similar incident at Cape Town International Airport last week has also been reported to SARS.
Many of the searches are conducted on passengers arriving from South America, a route favoured by drug traffickers.
With the world's attention on SA ahead of next year's Soccer World Cup, the country can ill afford the negative publicity of such complaints.
More than 450000 soccer fans are expected to arrive for the event, and airport security will provide the first impression of SA for visitors.
SARS spokesman Adrian Lackay said yesterday that SARS was taking all the complaints extremely seriously and investigating the reasons for the abusive searches. "While security is our first priority, we have laid-down procedures for how these searches should be carried out. We need to find out why they were not adhered to," said Lackay.
Veley, who often travels to South America, said she had travelled through many countries known for their drug trade without ever being searched. "Yet I am always stopped by customs here in SA. I have been searched so often that I now automatically present myself to customs officials when I arrive back in SA."
Veley has had to register her laptop with SARS to prevent long and tedious arguments with customs officials over the origin of her laptop. "Hundreds of people travel with their laptops every day without any questions, yet I am singled out every single time I pass through the airport."
Martinez, who speaks no English, was accused of being a drug dealer and was sent to hospital for X-rays in a bid to find drugs. After the search, which came up clean, Martinez, who was on her way to visit her sister in Durban, was left stranded by customs officials at OR Tambo after missing her flight.
Lackay said that during the Confederations Cup, SARS had identified limitations at some ports in dealing with foreign nationals who did not speak English. "Therefore we have identified 120 officials who are able to speak German, French, Spanish, Portuguese or Mandarin and who will be deployed to key ports," he said.
These officials will be available in the international arrivals hall at OR Tambo and Cape Town International, as well as in customs search areas.
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