Import taxes and duties

[Clintonb]

I would like to start purchasing goods direclty from an international website and I noticed they refer to "your countries import tax policy".

Where can I find info on how and when goods are taxed? I'm not doing this to try and save money or get the goods cheaper. I'm happy with the price I pay locally ,albeit a little more expensive, but wish I could get better service from the companies themselves.

[Dave A]

There is a fair chance the website concerned is primarily mindful of where the tax regime in Europe is headed in this regard.

On the local front, I'm not sure what to say really. My mother-in-law got hit with a R1700 import / VAT bill on a Christmas present posted to her from her daughter living in the UK. The contents apparently cost less than 60 Pounds, so goodness knows how SARS arrived at the tax bill

Wouldn't have thought gifts would have been subject to import / VAT taxes anyway - or at least there would be some sort of exemption threshold.