TANZANIA REVENUE AUTHORITY PROBES SOUTH AFRICAN FIRM OVER MISCONDUCT

TRA Commissioner General, Rished Bade.

Tanzania Revenue Authority is investigating a South African based company, Bridge Shipping, on allegations of conducting clearing and forwarding business without proper licensing.

TRA Commissioner General, Rished Bade told the ‘Daily News’ on Tuesday that the Commissioner of Customs and Excise was probing the company which operates goods sheds at Dar es Salaam port.

“We are investigating them,” he said shortly in a written message to this newspaper adding that details of investigations and action that will be taken will be announced later after finishing the probe.

Bridge Shipping which is part of C. Steinweg Bridge (Pty) Ltd is a member of the C. Steinweg group of companies and has over 30 years of experience as a logistics company in Southern Africa.

The Group has a wellestablished footprint of blue chip clients in the agriculture, mining and minerals, project cargo, bulk containerised commodities and raw materials industry segments throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. At Dar es Salaam port, the company caters mainly for hinterland of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda.

The services offered are warehousing, port forwarding, transport and fumigation services, mainly for the commodities which includes minerals, metals, cotton and tobacco.

Responding to allegations that Bridge Shipping is illegally undertaking clearing and forwarding business in the country, its Johannesburg based Legal Officer, Taryn Janse Van Rensburg said the company works with a local partner.

“I wish to set the record straight... Bridge Shipping is not a licensed clearing agent with TRA. We subcontract clearing services to a local Tanzania clearing agent who are registered with TRA.

We are however a licensed freight forwarder,” Ms Rensburg explained. She also denied reports that the company is also not licensed to undertake shipping agency business and that clearing and forwarding is a business restricted to locally owned companies.

“Bridge Shipping / C. Steinweg Bridge has an outstanding name in the warehousing and logistics business sector throughout Sub Saharan Africa and we strive to ensure that we comply with all legislative requirements in all areas that we operate,” Rensburg said.

Daily News