A parcel held for customs is normal on international shipments, and it is cleared through the courier acting as your clearing agent, not by you dealing with SARS directly.
ContactDetails.co.za is an independent directory. We are not a courier or a retailer and cannot trace or release a parcel. Everything on this page is a routing aid.
Who actually handles this
The courier, which almost always acts as the clearing agent on an express shipment. It will ask you for documents and for payment of duties and VAT before it can release the parcel.
What to do, in order
- Wait for the courier to contact you. Held for customs is a normal status and usually resolves in days.
- Provide what is asked for: an invoice showing what you paid, a description of the goods, and sometimes your identity number for clearance.
- Expect to pay import duties and VAT, plus the courier’s clearance or handling fee. These are separate charges and both are normal.
- Pay through the courier’s own official channels, never through a link in a message.
- Ask for the customs entry or clearance reference if a parcel stays held longer than the courier’s stated timeframe.
What to have ready
- The waybill or tracking number.
- The commercial invoice or proof of what you paid, including shipping.
- A description of the contents and their value.
- Your identity number, which is commonly required for clearance.
Verified courier customer care routes
Every route in this table was taken from the company’s own official contact page and checked on 21 August 2026. Contact details change, so confirm on the official site before relying on one for anything urgent.
| What it is for | Contact |
|---|---|
| The Courier Guy customer support | 086 120 3203 |
| The Courier Guy WhatsApp | 064 848 1531 |
| RAM customer care | 0861 726 726 |
| RAM parcel tracking | 010 494 8223 |
| DHL customer service (shipment queries) | 0860 345 000 |
| DHL customs support | +27 11 923 0398 |
| PostNet call centre | 0860 767 8638 |
| PAXI customer enquiries | 086 000 7294 |
| CourierIT | +27 11 552 1000 |
| DSV national contact centre | +27 31 310 6000 |
Who owns the problem: retailer, courier or you
- If you bought online, the retailer is your contract. It chose the courier and it owes you delivery of what you paid for, in the condition you paid for. Whether its courier failed is a matter between them. Say this plainly and in writing when a retailer tries to hand you to the courier.
- The courier physically holds the parcel and is the only party that can trace it, produce a proof of delivery, or redirect it. It works from the waybill number and generally caps its liability unless extra cover was bought.
- If you shipped it yourself, you are the courier’s customer and the claim is yours to make.
- The Consumer Goods and Services Ombud takes unresolved consumer complaints free of charge, once the supplier’s own process has been used.
The waybill number traces the parcel; the order number traces the purchase. Having both, and knowing which party you are actually dealing with, resolves most courier problems faster than any phone number does.
Common mistakes that cost time
- Ignoring the courier’s request for documents, which is the usual reason a parcel sits for weeks.
- Understating the value on a shipment. It causes delays and can result in penalties.
- Assuming a gift is exempt. Gifts have limits and are not automatically free of duty.
- Paying a customs fee through a link in an SMS. That is the scam, not the process.
The scam to watch for
Fake customs fee messages are among the most effective scams in South Africa, because a real customs charge is a genuine and common thing. The difference is the channel: a real charge comes from the courier handling your actual waybill and is paid through its own systems. A message with a link demanding a small fee is phishing.
If it is not resolved
The Consumer Goods and Services Ombud takes unresolved consumer complaints against participating suppliers, free of charge to the consumer. It expects the supplier’s own complaints process to have been used first and will ask for its reference number, so get one and keep it.
| What it is for | Contact |
|---|---|
| Consumer Goods and Services Ombud call centre | 0860 000 272 |
| CGSO WhatsApp | 081 335 3005 |
| CGSO general email | [email protected] |
Related contact pages
- Transport and courier contact pages
- Courier Customs Clearance Contact Details
- Transport
- Cook For Life Contact Details
- Coinvest Contact Details
- Mbd Contact Details
- Reaston Attorneys Contact Details
- How to verify a contact number before you use it
- Mamazala 157 Contact Details
- Norman Bissett Attorneys Contact Details
Frequently asked questions
Why is my parcel held at customs?
It is a normal step on international shipments. Customs assesses duties and VAT, and the courier usually needs documents or payment from you before releasing it.
What will I have to pay?
Import duties and VAT as assessed, plus the courier’s clearance or handling fee. They are separate charges.
Do I deal with SARS myself?
Generally no. On an express shipment the courier acts as the clearing agent and deals with customs on your behalf.
Contact routes on this page were checked against each company’s official source on 21 August 2026.