Johannesburg international customs

Gnome

Gnome

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I ordered something from eBay from a guy in China.

Basically minSAS -> SATA cables. However the tracking number this guy gave me shows the package as still being in Johannesburg (that is all it says: "Arrived at destination: Johannesburg").

That has been the status now for 9 business days. Is that normal? Does that mean it got stuck in customs or WTF?

Anyone have experience with this sort of thing and know whom I can contact to find out WTF happened to my stuff?

I can get my money back (eBay money back thing), so it isn't about money, but I really want those cables. They are seriously expensive here in SA (R400 a cable VS R70 from eBay).

I only have a tracking number and its last reported location.

Any advice/input... please? :)
 
Call the carriers and ask them.

A parcel can get stuck in customs - normally as a result of something like missing/inadequate documentation - but a tracking status that doesn't change is frequently due to the carrier's staff not updating the status.

I once had a parcel in my postbox for nearly a week - i.e. waiting for me to collect - whilst the status was unchanged at 'Arrived Johannesburg international post office' (or similar)
 
You can also call the sapo track and trace and ask them for the South African tracking number, this is obviously dependent on what shipping method they used.
 
They possibly don't have a contact phone number or email address marked on the parcel/documentation (do the customs dudes even do email?) so they can query whatever it is they want to. Had that happen to me, it was the incorrect telephone number reflected.
 
Yeah I wanted to call them but their web-site is in Chingrish and they are based in Hong-Kong. R100 says they don't speak a word of English :p

It was sent with international post. Nakedpeanut: Have you done the SA tracking number thing before? I think I should give it a try.

Tried emailing the shipping company, no response... And I have NO idea what they put on my parcel.
 
I have had great service from SAPO on the email front, try emailing Mr Benjamen Blignaut :) customer.services(at)postoffice.co.za and he will track it down.

A USB device from Lightake.com took about 3weeks to get to me so it will come through.
 
Gnome said:
Yeah I wanted to call them but their web-site is in Chingrish and they are based in Hong-Kong. R100 says they don't speak a word of English :p

It was sent with international post. Nakedpeanut: Have you done the SA tracking number thing before? I think I should give it a try.

Tried emailing the shipping company, no response... And I have NO idea what they put on my parcel.
Click to expand...

Yes did it when i brought my phone, phone cases, and water cooling in from the uk, Hongkong and USA respectfully.
 
Thanks guys, this is good info :p should seriously sticky a thread with this info in.
 
Try phone the international mail center, google for there number, they usually give you a local tracking number if you can provide international one!
 
OHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL MAIL CENTRE
Phone: 011 961 6000
Fax: 011 961 6116
Email: [email protected]
Physical Address:
Jones Rd, Jet Park, Boksburg, 1459
Postal Address:
PO Box 5599, Jet Park, Boksburg, 1469
 
Had a similar problem. Ordered something from China and I was waiting about a month...nothing. Emailed the seller and he told me it must have arrived in South Africa already. Phoned Jhb International Mail Center about 3 times a week for 2 weeks long and everytime they told me that it hasn't arrived in South Africa yet. Another week later I phoned them again and was told by a very friendly lady ( and 1 that knows her job) that the package arrived in SA about 3 weeks ago. She gave me the SA tracking no and told me I should have the parcel the next day. So the package was in SA already while the others told me for 2 weeks it hasn't arrived !
 
Thanks for all the help from everyone.

Just to finish up the thread with useful info: I called 0860 111 502 (Track & Trace), gave the person on the other end my international tracking number and deftly got my domestic tracking number.

Found out my package was sent to Pretoria North :( (I live in Pretoria East). Sigh...
 
It's standard practice that when an international parcel comes into SA with a tracking number, the international tracking stops and the SAPO assign a domestic tracking number to it instead. (This is not the case with parcels sent through courier companies.)

When the international tracking says it's in JHB, you call the SAPO track & Trace number (as in the previous post) and give them the international tracking number. They will then give you the domestic tracking number which you can look up using the SAPO site. Alternatively you can keep track of your domestic movements by calling and asking them to tell you where the parcel is.

Be advised that SAPO only holds parcels such as these for 30 days at the local branch nearest to the delivery address before they return to sender. (At least, they're supposed to.) They are also supposed to dispatch at least 3 notifications to you informing you that the parcel is there. I have yet to experience this though.

SAPO automatically charges a handling/processing fee on parcels. In my experience (with smallish parcels though) this fee is somewhere between R20 and R40. The moronic import agents, SARS customs, also levies tax on the item based on what it is, according to the publically available customs tax schedules. Of course, they're corrupt morons, so often a parcel is classified incorrectly and the tax is wrong. I have imported multiple items that were supposed to be tax free, and because they put the wrong classification on the parcel upon arrival, I was forced to fork out. Since when is a Kindle Light a CD/DVD/Digital Media? Gmphf. Trying to get your money back is a nightmare.
 
AniV said:
It's standard practice that when an international parcel comes into SA with a tracking number, the international tracking stops and the SAPO assign a domestic tracking number to it instead.
Click to expand...

Good to know. I had no idea how international post works. Was a bit afraid to use it but they do seem to actually have a system that works quite well.
 
SlowInternet said:
Had a similar problem. Ordered something from China and I was waiting about a month...nothing. Emailed the seller and he told me it must have arrived in South Africa already. Phoned Jhb International Mail Center about 3 times a week for 2 weeks long and everytime they told me that it hasn't arrived in South Africa yet. Another week later I phoned them again and was told by a very friendly lady ( and 1 that knows her job) that the package arrived in SA about 3 weeks ago. She gave me the SA tracking no and told me I should have the parcel the next day. So the package was in SA already while the others told me for 2 weeks it hasn't arrived !
Click to expand...
Same here, ordered something from the UK and kept on phoning the mail centre for local tracking number and they kept on saying its not in the country yet. Eventually got a notice to pick it up from the local post office where it was sitting for three weeks already.
 
Call your local postal depot, the one where customs inspect the items, and speak to customs. Give them the tracking no and ask what's going on. If you don't have a tracking number, they can find your item on the system using your name, surname and address.

If item is stuck in customs there is usually an exception. 99% of the time the item was not declared properly and they don't trust the declaration. You'll have to produce an invoice (Ebay/Paypal) and sometimes a CC statement (if they demand proof of payment). You can either fax that or visit them in person.

I've had a USPS First Class Mail item not arrive because the postman failed to deliver the slip. Item arrived in SA on 20 Dec and was in local post office on 24. I called my local PO yesterday and they couldn't find the item. I the called Customs at CapeMail and the guy gave me the II number based on my personal details. Then it was a matter of just going to the local post office and giving them the II number to get the item.
 
Hi every one i got a very big problem.a package was sent to me from the USA 22nd of July by USPS Priority Mail Express International and its 5 weeks now i have not seen the package have been to the local post office and they keep telling to call the international mail center cause they couldn't check any tracking that came in with EC and each time i call the mail center they keep telling me that the package is not yet in the country.below is the tracking details.

Priority Mail Express International™
Processed Through Sort Facility
July 23, 2013, 9:22 pm
ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)
Insured
PO to Addressee
Proof of Delivery

Arrived at Sort Facility july 23, 2013, 9:22 pm
ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)

Acceptance
July 22, 2013, 9:39 pm
SANTA ANA, CA 92799

Depart USPS Sort Facility
July 22, 2013
SANTA ANA, CA 92799

Processed at USPS Origin Sort Facility
July 22, 2013, 7:21 pm
SANTA ANA, CA 92799

Dispatched to Sort Facility
July 22, 2013, 4:03 pm
SANTA ANA, CA 92703

Acceptance
July 22, 2013, 2:51 pm
SANTA ANA, CA 92703

Electronic Shipping Info Received
July 22,

Can someone please help me with this cause am really confused about the whole situation.could it be with SA customs without been scan or as it left customs without scan to my local post office.did not get any letter yet cause i move from the address the shipment was sent to but my phone number was placed on the package.the local post office workers are not willing to help.can someone please help with this situation.
 
Kayzy said:
Priority Mail Express International™
Processed Through Sort Facility
July 23, 2013, 9:22 pm
ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)
Insured
PO to Addressee
Proof of Delivery
Click to expand...

I've used USPS a few times before. Your tracking indicates that it has left the sorting facility but not arrived at its destination. When it arrives in SA, you should get a confirmation on USPS tracking that will say a similar thing, but the location will be 'South Africa' - it usually only takes a few days for this. Since it hasn't been processed in SA, this is probably why SAPO is telling you that the package isn't in the country yet.

I would contact USPS customer service, especially since your shipping is insured.
 
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