Fresh gridlock grips SACU :: Mmegi Online

Nerves raw from a protracted spat over a revised revenue sharing formula and with the opening salvo fired in the sensitive industrialisation talks, a fresh crisis is threatening the world’s oldest customs union, the Southern African Customs Union. Bottlenecks have emerged in the establishment of trade commissions by member states, meant to promote industrialisation-friendly tariffs, tackle dumping and determine eligibility for infant-industry protection. This week, trade and industry minister, Dorcas Makgato-Malesu, takes Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI, to the heart of the matter

BusinessWeek: Please shed light on the new trade commission we understand the government is establishing.

Makgato-Malesu: It was agreed in terms of the 2002 SACU Agreement that member countries would set up their own commissions whose job would be to set up tariffs and all the other duties of such bodies. SACU itself is to have a tariff board being a regional body linking up all the member countries’ commissions.

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