Import & Export Company in Johannesburg, South Africa — Near You
Flexagon Freight & Logistics manages the whole import or export chain rather than one leg of it — supplier coordination at origin, freight booking, cargo insurance, SARS customs clearing, duty and VAT calculation, and delivery to your door. First-time importers get walked through SARS registration, Incoterms and supplier documentation before anything ships.
Most importing problems are decided long before the cargo moves — in the Incoterm you agreed, the invoice your supplier issued and the registration you did or did not complete.
Who handles importing and exporting in Johannesburg, South Africa?
Flexagon Freight & Logistics provides end-to-end import and export handling from 2 West Street, Kempton Park CBD, Gauteng. Operating since 2004 and a SARS-registered customs clearing agent, we manage supplier coordination at origin, freight booking by air, sea or road, cargo insurance, customs clearing, duty and VAT calculation, and final delivery.
For exporters we prepare certificates of origin, AfCFTA and SADC preference declarations and destination-country documentation. First-time importers are walked through SARS importer registration, Incoterms and supplier invoice requirements before anything ships. Quotes within 24 business hours. Call +27 73 326 0521 or request a quote.
- Scope
- Supplier coordination through to final delivery
- Customs
- SARS-registered agent, entries lodged in-house
- First-time importers
- Registration, Incoterms and documents explained
- Exports
- Origin certificates, AfCFTA and SADC preference
- Quote turnaround
- Within 24 business hours
Page content last reviewed and updated 30 September 2026.
Most Import Problems Are Decided
Before the Cargo Moves
By the time a first-time importer calls a forwarder, several expensive decisions have usually already been made. An Incoterm was agreed without anyone explaining what it actually transfers. The supplier issued an invoice that does not carry the information customs needs. Nobody registered the company with SARS. The duty rate was assumed rather than checked, so the landed cost is wrong and the deal's margin was never real.
None of that is the client's failure — it is what happens when the freight conversation starts too late. So we start it early: what Incoterm suits your situation and your cash flow, exactly what your supplier must show on the commercial invoice and packing list, whether the commodity needs a permit, what duty and VAT will actually be, and whether you are registered to import at all.
From there we run the whole chain — origin coordination, freight by the mode that fits, insurance where you want the cover, clearing by our own SARS-registered staff, and delivery. One account manager, one reference number, one party accountable. Call +27 73 326 0521, email [email protected] or request a quote.
📐 Incoterms — the Three-Word Decision That Prices Your Import
EXW means you pay for everything from the supplier's door, including origin charges you cannot see or control. DDP means the supplier pays everything, usually with a margin built in. FOB and CIF sit between and are where most sensible trade happens. Getting this wrong does not break the shipment — it quietly costs you money on every single one.
Import & Export Near Me — Anywhere in South Africa
Searching for import & export 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.
The Whole Chain,
Not One Leg of It
Learn More opens the related service page; Request a Quote goes straight to the enquiry form.
First-Time Importer Setup & Walkthrough
SARS importer registration, choosing the Incoterm that actually suits your cash flow, exactly what your supplier must put on the commercial invoice and packing list, whether your commodity needs a permit, and what duty and VAT will really be — all before you commit to the order.
Landed Cost Calculation Before You Order
Goods value, freight, insurance, duty, VAT, port or airport charges, clearing and delivery, built into one figure so you can price your product properly. A margin calculated on the supplier's invoice alone is not a margin — it is a guess with tax still to come.
Origin Coordination & Supplier Management
We deal with your supplier or their forwarder at origin — collection booking, packing and marking requirements, document checking before departure, and confirmation that what is being shipped matches what was ordered. Errors caught at origin cost nothing; the same errors found in Durban cost storage.
Export Documentation & Origin Certificates
Export entries, certificates of origin, SADC and AfCFTA preference declarations, and the destination-country documentation that decides release on arrival. Export paperwork failures surface at the far end, in a jurisdiction where you have no leverage — which is why they are worth getting right here.
Marine & Air Cargo Insurance
Carrier liability is limited by convention and is almost never the value of your goods — on sea freight it can be a small fraction. Where you want the cover we arrange all-risk cargo insurance on declared value, and we will tell you honestly when a consignment is low enough in value that it is not worth insuring.
Exporting Into African Markets
South African manufacturers and producers reaching SADC and wider African markets — by road through the border posts, by air from OR Tambo, or by sea through Durban and Cape Town. Including the rules-of-origin work that decides whether your buyer pays preferential duty or full duty.
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 an Import Is Set Up
Four steps. For first-time importers, step one saves more money than every other step combined.
01 · Tell Us What You Are Buying
The commodity, the supplier's country, the value and how often you expect to buy it. We classify the goods, check permit requirements, and tell you the duty rate and estimated landed cost before you place the order. Request a quote or call +27 73 326 0521.
02 · Incoterm, Registration and Supplier Brief
We recommend the Incoterm that suits your cash flow and control, confirm you are registered with SARS to import, and brief your supplier on exactly what the commercial invoice and packing list must show. This is where first-time importing is won or lost.
03 · Booking, Insurance and Origin Checks
Freight booked by the mode that fits the deadline and margin, insurance arranged where you want cover, and origin documents checked before departure — because a mismatch found at origin is free to fix and the same mismatch found at Durban is not.
04 · Clearing, Duty and Delivery
Entry lodged by our own SARS-registered staff, duty and VAT settled, cargo released and delivered. You receive the full document pack — invoice, transport document, entry, release and proof of delivery — for your records.
What We Need to Set Up an Import
Six things. Send them before you place the order rather than after the cargo ships.
To quote accurately we need
- What you are buying — the commodity in plain words, and the supplier's own product description
- Supplier country and address — origin determines duty rate eligibility and documentation
- Value and currency — the price agreed, and whether it includes freight or insurance
- Quantity, weight and volume — or container requirement, and expected frequency of shipment
- Your SARS registration status — registered importer, or not yet — either is fine, but we need to know
- Delivery address and deadline — where it must go and when it is genuinely needed
Documents for the shipment
- Supplier's proforma or commercial invoice — the starting point for classification and landed cost
- Product specification or datasheet — helps confirm the correct tariff heading
- Packing list — quantities, weights, dimensions and marks
- Certificate of origin — where a preferential duty rate under AfCFTA, SADC or a trade agreement applies
- Permit or approval — ITAC, health, phytosanitary or regulatory, where the commodity requires it
- Company registration and tax details — for SARS importer registration if you are not yet registered
If you are still negotiating with the supplier, send us the proforma invoice before you sign. Changing an Incoterm or an invoice format afterwards means renegotiating; getting it right at the proforma stage costs nothing.
Who We Import
and Export For
From single-container retailers to manufacturers with standing supply chains. These are the sectors we handle most.
What You Get From
End-to-End Handling
Six reasons South African shippers switch to Flexagon — and stay.
Landed Cost Before You Commit
Duty, VAT, freight, clearing and delivery estimated before you place the order — so the margin you calculated is the margin you get.
Costed before the order, not afterIncoterms Explained Properly
The three letters on your purchase order decide which charges you cannot see and cannot control. We explain what each one actually transfers and recommend one that fits your cash flow.
The right Incoterm, for a reasonFirst-Time Importers Set Up Correctly
SARS registration, supplier briefing, invoice requirements and permit checks handled before the first shipment. Getting this right once prevents years of recurring problems.
Set up right the first timeClearing Done In-House
SARS-registered, lodging our own entries. No handover between the forwarder and a separate broker at the point where delays begin.
One party accountable end to endOrigin Documentation That Holds
AfCFTA and SADC preference claimed only where the rules of origin for your heading genuinely support it — and we say so plainly when they do not.
Preference claimed where it holdsOne Account Manager
A single person across origin, freight, customs and delivery — so nothing falls between two companies blaming each other.
Direct line, no call centreImport and Export Lanes We Handle
Indicative transit for the lanes South African importers and exporters use most. Confirmed timings come with every quote.
| Lane from South Africa | Mode | Indicative transit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far East → South Africa | Sea FCL/LCL | 25–35 days | Highest-volume import lane; electronics, machinery, retail |
| Far East → South Africa | Air | 1–3 days | Components, samples and urgent replenishment |
| Europe / UK → South Africa | Sea or air | 25–35 days sea · 1–2 days air | Machinery, components, pharmaceutical |
| India / Middle East → South Africa | Sea or air | 18–28 days sea · 1–2 days air | Chemicals, textiles, components |
| USA → South Africa | Sea or air | 30–40 days sea · 2–3 days air | Often transhipped by sea; check routing |
| South Africa → SADC | Road | 1–5 days | Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia |
| South Africa → East Africa | Air or sea | 1–2 days air · 10–20 days sea | Nairobi, Kampala, Dar es Salaam |
| South Africa → West Africa | Air or sea | 1–2 days air · 14–25 days sea | Lagos, Accra, Abidjan |
| South Africa → Europe | Sea reefer or air | 18–25 days sea · 1–2 days air | Agricultural exports and manufactured goods |
| Cross-trade (origin → destination) | Air or sea | Varies | Shipments that never touch South Africa |
Transit figures are port-to-port or airport-to-airport and exclude customs clearing at either end. On imports the practical timeline is usually set by how quickly the supplier releases correct documents, not by the carrier.
Import & Export Clients Across Gauteng
We handle importers and exporters in every area below, with clearing centralised and delivery local.
Collection & Delivery in All Nine Provinces
We collect from and deliver to these centres on scheduled national runs.
7 Costly Mistakes Import & Export 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 South African importers and exporters ask, especially the ones doing it for the first time.
Request an Import or Export Quote
Tell us what you are buying or selling, where it comes from and where it goes. We will come back within 24 business hours with landed cost, duty and the documentation you will need.
Import & Export 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
The Freight Behind the Trade
Import and export handling uses whichever mode fits. Here is each one in detail.
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
Import and export handling for businesses across Johannesburg and greater Gauteng, co-ordinated from 2 West Street, Kempton Park CBD — with national coverage across all nine South African provinces.