Customs Clearing Agent in Johannesburg — SARS-Registered, Near You
Flexagon Freight & Logistics is a SARS-registered customs clearing agent based at 2 West Street, Kempton Park CBD, beside OR Tambo International. We lodge import and export entries electronically with our own staff — tariff classification, valuation, ITAC and other permits, deferment, rebates and rules-of-origin documentation — and clear at OR Tambo, City Deep, Durban, Cape Town, Ngqura and the road border posts.
The clearing agent is the part of the chain that decides whether your cargo moves or sits. We do not sub-contract it. When SARS raises a query on your entry, the person who answers it works here.
Who is a registered customs clearing agent in Johannesburg, South Africa?
Flexagon Freight & Logistics (Pty) Ltd is a SARS-registered customs clearing agent based at 2 West Street, Kempton Park CBD, Gauteng, beside OR Tambo International. Clearing since 2004, we lodge import and export declarations electronically with our own staff and handle tariff classification, customs valuation, ITAC and other permit applications, deferment accounts, rebate and drawback provisions, and AfCFTA and SADC rules-of-origin documentation.
We clear at OR Tambo International, City Deep, Durban, Cape Town, Ngqura and every major road border post. Quotes are issued within 24 business hours. Call +27 73 326 0521, email [email protected] or request a quote.
- Registration
- SARS-registered customs clearing agent
- Entries
- Lodged electronically, in-house
- Clearance points
- OR Tambo, City Deep, Durban, Cape Town, Ngqura, border posts
- Clearing since
- 2004
- Quote turnaround
- Within 24 business hours
Page content last reviewed and updated 30 September 2026.
The Entry Is Where Most
Freight Actually Goes Wrong
A container does not usually sit at Durban because a ship was late. It sits because the tariff heading was wrong, the invoice value did not match the packing list, the importer was not registered, a permit nobody knew about was never applied for, or the certificate of origin named a different consignee. Customs clearing is an administrative discipline, and freight delays are usually administrative failures.
Flexagon is a SARS-registered customs clearing agent, which means we lodge your bill of entry ourselves rather than routing it through another broker. Classification, valuation, permits, deferment, rebates and every SARS query stay inside one accountable business. That matters most at the moment something goes wrong — there is one number to call, and the person who answers is the person who filed the entry.
Our office sits beside the OR Tambo cargo terminals, where the great majority of South Africa's international air cargo is cleared, so a stop order, a reweigh or a documentary query is walked the same day rather than emailed and chased. Call +27 73 326 0521, email [email protected] or request a quote.
⚠️ The Three Most Common Reasons Cargo Is Held
In order: an incorrect or unsupportable tariff heading; a commercial invoice that does not agree with the packing list or the bill of lading; and a permit or approval that was required and never applied for. All three are avoidable before the cargo ships — which is why we ask for documents at quote stage rather than on arrival.
Customs Clearing Near Me — Anywhere in South Africa
Searching for customs clearing near you? We collect from every Gauteng suburb and run scheduled national routes to all nine provinces. Pick your city for local collection detail, transit times and a quote form.
Collected From Your Door
Scheduled and on-demand collections — you do not come to us.
Quote Inside 24 Hours
Itemised quote within 24 business hours; before midday often same day.
Quote on WhatsApp
Send a photo of the invoice or packing list to +27 73 326 0521.
24/7 Line in Transit
A person answers for cargo already moving or stuck at a border.
Customs Clearing & Forwarding
— Every Part of the Entry
Learn More opens the related service page; Request a Quote goes straight to the enquiry form.
Import Customs Clearance
Bills of entry lodged electronically against your supplier's commercial invoice and packing list, with tariff classification, customs valuation, duty and VAT calculation, and release coordinated with the terminal or depot. We flag permit requirements before the cargo ships rather than after it lands.
Export Customs Clearance & Documentation
Export entries, certificates of origin, SADC and AfCFTA preference declarations, and the destination-country documentation that decides whether your cargo is released on arrival. Export paperwork failures usually surface at the far end, where they are expensive and slow to fix.
Tariff Classification & Duty Optimisation
The HS heading sets your duty rate, your permit requirements and your rebate eligibility. On a repeat import a careless heading compounds every single shipment. We classify properly, review headings when your product range changes, and check whether a rebate or drawback provision applies to your inputs.
ITAC Permits, Approvals & Regulated Goods
Many commodities need an approval before they may be imported — ITAC permits, agricultural and health clearances, and regulatory approval for telecoms and radio-frequency equipment. We identify what your commodity needs at quote stage, because discovering it while the cargo sits in a bonded warehouse is the expensive way to find out.
Clearance at OR Tambo, City Deep and the Ports
Air imports cleared at OR Tambo — beside our office, so holds and reweighs are handled in person the same day. Sea imports cleared at Durban, Cape Town and Ngqura, or inland at City Deep where the container comes up by rail, with the road leg and empty return managed so you avoid demurrage and detention.
Bonded Warehousing, Transit Bonds & Removals in Bond
Where duty should not yet be paid — goods awaiting a permit, a buyer or onward export — we arrange bonded storage and removals in bond. For cargo transiting South Africa to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana or the DRC we lodge the transit bond and manage acquittal at the exit border.
Freight & Customs Clearing Prices
Below the Published Market Rate
Most forwarders make you phone for a price. We publish ours. Every from-price below sits under the lowest rate we could find publicly listed by other South African forwarders in September 2026.
| Service | Unit | Typical published market rate | Flexagon price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs Clearing | |||
| Courier / small-parcel import clearanceper entry | per entry | from R1,800 | from R1,550 |
| Air freight import clearance (OR Tambo)per entry | per entry | from R3,500 | from R2,950 |
| Sea freight import clearance (FCL / LCL)per entry | per entry | from R3,500 | from R2,950 |
| Export declaration & clearanceper entry | per entry | from R2,500 | from R2,100 |
| Urgent / same-day clearanceper entry | per entry | from R5,000 | from R4,250 |
| Road Freight | |||
| Pallet Johannesburg ⇄ Durban (≤800 kg)per pallet | per pallet | R420 – R650 | from R395 |
| Pallet Johannesburg ⇄ Cape Town (≤800 kg)per pallet | per pallet | R850 – R1,200 | from R799 |
| Pallet Johannesburg ⇄ Polokwane (≤800 kg)per pallet | per pallet | R280 – R420 | from R265 |
| 5-ton part load Johannesburg ⇄ Durbanper load | per load | R2,100 – R3,200 | from R1,990 |
| 5-ton part load Johannesburg ⇄ Cape Townper load | per load | R4,800 – R7,200 | from R4,550 |
| Interlink full truckload (34 t)per km | per km | R18.00 – R28.00 | from R17.20 |
| Warehousing | |||
| Pallet storage (general)per pallet / month | per pallet / month | from R250 | from R229 |
| Pallet receiving / intakeper pallet | per pallet | R150 | R135 |
| Container devanning — 20ftper container | per container | R3,500 | R3,150 |
| Container devanning — 40ftper container | per container | R5,500 | R4,950 |
| Pick & packper order | per order | R15 | R13 |
Flexagon vs the Usual Freight Forwarder
| What matters | Flexagon Freight & Logistics | Many other forwarders |
|---|---|---|
| Prices published up front | Yes — on this page | "Call for a quote" |
| Quote turnaround | Within 24 business hours | Often several days |
| SARS clearing done in-house | Yes — SARS-registered since 2004 | Frequently sub-contracted |
| Written price-beat promise | Yes | Rarely |
| Quotes on WhatsApp | Yes — +27 73 326 0521 | Email or call centre |
| Named account manager | One person, direct line | Ticket queue |
| Air, sea and road compared on one quote | Yes | One mode, one price |
| 24/7 line for cargo in transit | Yes | Office hours only |
How a Customs Entry Is Handled
Four steps. The work that prevents delays happens in steps one and two, before the cargo arrives.
01 · Send the Documents
Send the commercial invoice, packing list and transport document (bill of lading or air waybill). We check them against each other before anything is lodged — mismatches between these three documents are the most common cause of a customs query. Request a quote or call +27 73 326 0521.
02 · Classification and Pre-checks
We classify the goods, calculate duty and VAT, and confirm whether a permit, approval or inspection applies before the cargo arrives. Where a rebate or preferential rate is available, we tell you and prepare the supporting documents rather than defaulting to the full rate.
03 · Entry Lodged and Release Obtained
The bill of entry is lodged electronically with SARS by our own staff. If a query, inspection or stop is raised, we deal with it directly at the terminal — and because our office is beside the OR Tambo cargo terminals, that usually happens the same day.
04 · Delivery and Document Pack
Cargo is released, collected and delivered, and you receive the full document set — customs release, entry, transport documents and proof of delivery — for your records and any later SARS or auditor query.
What We Need to Clear Your Cargo
Send these with your enquiry and the quote is accurate first time — and the entry is prepared before the cargo lands rather than after.
To quote accurately we need
- Commodity description — what the goods actually are, in plain words, plus the HS code if you have one
- Value and currency — the transaction value as invoiced, and the Incoterm agreed with the supplier
- Gross weight and dimensions — or container size and count for sea freight
- Origin and destination — country of manufacture, and the delivery address in South Africa
- Deadline — the date the goods are actually needed, not the date they were ordered
- Importer details — your registered company name and SARS importer code, or tell us if you are not yet registered
Documents for the shipment
- Commercial invoice — supplier's invoice showing value, currency, Incoterm, and a proper goods description
- Packing list — must agree with the invoice on quantities, weights and marks
- Bill of lading or air waybill — the transport document issued by the carrier
- Certificate of origin — where a preferential rate under AfCFTA, SADC or a trade agreement is claimed
- Permit or approval — ITAC, health, phytosanitary or regulatory approval where the commodity requires it
- Safety data sheet — for any commodity that may be classified as dangerous goods
If you are importing for the first time and do not have a SARS importer code, say so — we will walk you through registering before the cargo ships, which is considerably cheaper than sorting it out while the container accrues storage.
Customs Clearing Across
the South African Economy
Different commodities break in different places. These are the ones we clear most, and what each one usually trips on.
Six Reasons to Move
Your Clearing to Flexagon
Six reasons South African shippers switch to Flexagon — and stay.
We Lodge Our Own Entries
SARS-registered, filing electronically with our own staff. Classification, valuation, permits and queries do not get passed down a chain — so when something goes wrong there is exactly one party to call.
One accountable party on the entryBeside the Cargo Terminals
Our office is next to OR Tambo, where most of South Africa's air cargo clears. A stop order or a reweigh gets walked in person the same day rather than emailed and chased.
Queries walked, not emailedClassification Taken Seriously
On a repeat import the tariff heading is worth more than the freight rate. We classify properly, review headings when your range changes, and check rebate and drawback eligibility.
Headings reviewed, not copied forwardPermits Flagged Before Shipping
ITAC, health, phytosanitary and RF approvals identified at quote stage. Finding out at the port that a permit was needed is the single most expensive administrative mistake in importing.
Requirements raised before departureOrigin Documentation Done Properly
AfCFTA and SADC preferential rates depend on rules of origin for your specific heading, not on the cargo simply being African. We check whether you qualify and prepare the documents — or tell you plainly that you do not.
Preference claimed only where it holdsA Named Account Manager
One person who learns your commodity, your suppliers and your deadlines, reachable directly, with a 24/7 line for cargo already in transit.
Direct line, no call centreWhere We Clear, and What to Expect
Indicative clearance behaviour at each entry point. Actual timing depends on documentation, inspection and the terminal.
| Lane from South Africa | Mode | Indicative transit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OR Tambo International (air) | Air import/export | Same day–1 day | Our office is beside the cargo terminals; queries handled in person |
| City Deep (inland container) | Sea import | 1–2 days after availability | Watch free days — demurrage and detention start quickly |
| Durban Port | Sea import/export | 2–4 days after discharge | South Africa's largest container port; the default Gauteng gateway |
| Cape Town Container Terminal | Sea import/export | 2–4 days after discharge | Worth pricing against Durban on some lanes |
| Ngqura / Gqeberha | Sea import/export | 2–4 days after discharge | Automotive and transhipment traffic |
| Beitbridge (Zimbabwe) | Road export/transit | Variable | Busiest SADC post; documentation completeness decides the wait |
| Lebombo (Mozambique) | Road export/transit | Variable | Maputo corridor; generally lighter than Beitbridge |
| Kopfontein / Skilpadshek (Botswana) | Road export/transit | Variable | Usually the quickest of the SADC posts |
| Oshoek (Eswatini) & Caledonspoort (Lesotho) | Road export | Variable | Short-haul regional distribution |
| Kazungula / Chirundu (Zambia) | Road transit | Variable | Transit bond required through Zimbabwe |
Border timings are deliberately not given as fixed numbers. At every Southern African post the wait is driven by documentation completeness and queue conditions on the day, not by distance — and a forwarder who quotes you a guaranteed border transit is guessing. What we control is that the paperwork is complete and correct before the vehicle leaves.
Customs Clearing Across Gauteng
Clearing is handled centrally from Kempton Park, with collection and delivery in every area below. Each page carries that area's local detail.
Collection & Delivery in All Nine Provinces
We collect from and deliver to these centres on scheduled national runs.
7 Costly Mistakes Customs Clearing Shippers Make —
and How We Prevent Them
Most freight overspend is not the rate. It is a delay, a penalty or a charge nobody planned for.
Wrong tariff heading
An inherited or guessed HS code can mean overpaid duty on every shipment — or a SARS penalty later. We check the heading, not copy it forward.
No importer / exporter code
Cargo cannot be cleared without SARS customs registration. We walk first-time traders through it before the goods ship.
Invoice and packing list don't match
Mismatched weights, values or descriptions trigger stops and inspections. We check supplier documents before departure.
Free days missed
Containers left past the free period rack up storage, demurrage and detention. We book collection against the release.
Wrong Incoterm
EXW, FOB or DAP decides who pays for what. The wrong one quietly moves costs onto you. We advise before you order.
Undeclared dangerous goods
Batteries, chemicals, aerosols and paints need DG documentation. Undeclared DG gets rejected or fined.
Choosing the cheapest rate, not the cheapest landed cost
A low freight rate with high port, clearing or delivery charges costs more. Our quotes show the full landed cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What importers and exporters actually ask before appointing a clearing agent.
Request a Customs Clearing Quote
Send the commodity, value, weight and entry point. A SARS-registered clearing specialist will reply within 24 business hours with an itemised quote.
Customs Clearing Enquiry
Fields marked * are required. We reply within 24 business hours. International enquiries are welcome — we quote to any country worldwide.
Kempton Park, Gauteng 1619
South Africa
Saturday: 08:00–12:00 SAST
24/7 emergency freight line
Import, export and cross-trade shipments
Detailed, itemised, no obligation
Freight to Go With the Clearing
Most clients use clearing alongside one or two freight modes, under a single account manager and one reference.
Freight & Logistics by Area
Every area page carries local collection detail, suburb coverage, indicative transit times and its own quote form.
Explore Each Freight Service in Detail
Every service page explains scope, documentation and lead times — or skip ahead and request a quote.
Serving Johannesburg, Gauteng
and All of South Africa
We clear for importers and exporters across Johannesburg and greater Gauteng from our office at 2 West Street, Kempton Park CBD, beside the OR Tambo cargo terminals — with national coverage across all nine South African provinces.