The notice date and the effective date are different
Notice R.7991, published on 9 October 2026 in Gazette 55506, amends specified items under 215.02 in Schedule 2 Part 1. It lists rebate exclusions for certain hot-rolled flat steel at least 600 mm wide from China, Japan and Taiwan, described in the notice as Chinese Taipei. The amendment has retrospective effect from 19 March 2026. It does not cancel anti-dumping duties for every steel shipment.
This procurement note is for imports into South Africa. Buyers supplying another African market, Taiwan or Indonesia must check that destination's rules separately. A supplier's broad description such as hot-rolled plate is not enough to establish coverage.
Read the rebate column together with the notes
Schedule 2 Part 1 Note 2 says the anti-dumping duty also applies to goods entered under Schedule 3 or 4 items specified in the Rebate Items column. The ranges printed there are therefore not a blanket exemption list. Read the exclusions in the relevant row and confirm the conditions for the actual entry procedure.
Ask the South African importer or customs adviser to return a written row-level assessment: tariff subheading, 215.02 code, matching product and producer/exporter description, proposed rebate item, qualifying evidence and remaining unresolved conditions. Do not copy an exclusion from a neighbouring steel specification or treat a supplier's screenshot as clearance approval.
Build a steel-specific evidence pack before revising the quote
Request the mill's precise legal name, the exporter's name, material grade and composition, width and thickness, coil or cut-to-length form, and details of pickling, oiling, cladding, plating or coating. Connect mill certificates and origin evidence to the actual order lines. If a trading company supplies the quote, identify the manufacturing mill rather than relying on its sales brand.
Use a comparison sheet with one row per ordered specification: supplier evidence, adviser-confirmed tariff row, rebate basis, missing documents, person responsible and verification date. Keep goods price and freight separate from ordinary customs duty, anti-dumping duty, any applicable safeguard duty and VAT. Until the importer confirms the treatment, leave the disputed tax component provisional rather than promising a reduced landed price.
Review earlier entries without promising an automatic refund
Because the amendment is retrospective, assemble potentially relevant entries since 19 March 2026 for professional review. Record entry number and date, goods line, producer/exporter, tariff and rebate items used, and supporting documents. Ask the customs adviser whether a correction or refund route is available for that entry and what procedure and time limit apply; the notice alone is not proof of an automatic repayment.
The supplier should provide accurate product and mill evidence. A sourcing coordinator can track missing documents and reconcile order specifications. The importer and its appointed customs adviser must confirm entry eligibility and the declaration treatment. Keep any cost revision on hold when these responsibilities or the evidence are unresolved.
Your next-order checklist
- Record 9 October 2026 as the notice date and 19 March 2026 as the retrospective effective date.
- Match the actual steel specification and producer/exporter to the complete tariff row.
- Read the rebate exclusions with Part 1 Note 2; do not assume all steel qualifies.
- Obtain a written eligibility assessment and list missing evidence before changing the landed-cost quote.
- Keep customs duty, anti-dumping duty, any safeguard duty and VAT as separate checks.
- Send potentially affected earlier entries for review without promising a refund or a processing deadline.
Sources & reference dates
- SARS tariff amendments: R.7991, Gazette 55506, 9 October 2026Source published: 2026-10-09Effective: 2026-03-19
- Notice R.7991: Schedule 2 Part 1 amendment 2/1/99 (official notice)Source published: 2026-10-09Effective: 2026-03-19
- SARS Schedule 2: Part 1 notes and anti-dumping tariff items, checked 11 October 2026
Prepared by the Yifeng Sourcing editorial team with AI assistance from the primary sources listed below. Source dates are recorded; destination-specific requirements should be reconfirmed before acting. This is not legal or tax advice.