Unique Numbers

There are two kinds of unique numbers that can be used to link physical exports with the receipt of payments for those exports namely:

1. The Export Control Number (ECN)

• The ECN is generated by Customs.
• It is available only post-clearance i.e. only after the goods have been     cleared through Custom. It is thus not suitable for matching purposes in case of advance payments as it is not available at the time of receiving advance payments.
• It is on the Customs Release Notification (CRN) document and the SAD 500 (Custom Declaration Form).
• The ECR is made up of the following three parts:
  1. The first part is the final date in the YYYYMMDD format and consists of 8 digits, e.g., 20090101.
  2. The second part is the Custom district office through which goods and export documentation have been processed. It consist of three digits, e.g., JHB
  3. The third part is the final number allocated to the SAD 500 by Custom. It consists of 7 digits, e.g., 1112121.
• The three parts combined make up the ECN. The ECN is unique per SAD 500 and consists of 18 digits, e.g., 20090101JHB1112121.
• It is alpha-numeric and must not contain any special characters (i.e., “/, \, -, *,”).

2. The Unique Consignment Reference (“UCR”) number

• The exporter is responsible for the UCR number and the exporter / his agent must generate a different UCR number for each export consignment.
• It has a minimum length of 12 & maximum length of 21 characters.
• It is alpha-numeric and must not contain any special characters (i.e., “/, \, -, *,”).
• It is made up as follows:
  1. 1st digit = last digit of the year of the export – i.e., ‘9’ for 2009.
  2. Next 2 digits = the SWIFT code of the country of export ,i.e. ‘ZA’ for South Africa.
  3. Next 8 digits = CCN (Exporters Code) , ‘00011111’
  4. Last 10 digits = the unique number of the document that the exporter will use to link export proceeds with a specificexport consignment, can be invoice, quotation, order,shipment no., etc. - e.g., ‘454’ if that invoice number is thelink.
• The four parts combined make up the UCR -
     9ZA00011111454.
• It must be on the Customs Release Notification (CRN) document and the     SAD 500 (Custom Declaration Form).

Issues of Concern

1. Advance Payments
• Where an exporter receives an advance payment and a UCR number has already been generated at the time of the receipts of such advance payments, the UCR number in question must be supplied to the bank through which the funds will be received.
• Where an exporter receives advance payments, the exporter must ensure that exactly the same UCR number used for the receipts of exports proceeds via the bank is used on the SAD 500 – when the goods are exported.
2. Multiple UCR numbers
• It should be noted that the Reserve Bank system is designed to cater for 48 different UCR numbers, were there is one payment with more than 48 different UCR numbers the payment must be split e.g., 1 million payment with 144 different UCR’s, this payment must be split into three.
3. Part payments
• Where part payments are received in terms of a particular export consignment, the relevant ECN or UCR number for that export consignment must be submitted to the bank every time a part payment is received.
4. CMA countries and Botswana
• An ECN has been allocated to each CMA country and Botswana.
• Examples of the ECN of goods exported to CMA and Botswana on 19 November 2008:
1. Lesotho – 8ZACMAEXPORTSLSL1119N
2. Swaziland – 8ZACMAEXPORTSSZL1119N
3. Namibia – 8ZACMAEXPORTSNAD1119N
4. Botswana – 8ZACMAEXPORTSBWP1119N
• It is imperative that we use the applicable ECN number in this cases.
5. Once off / Occasional exporters
• The use of 70707070 as an Exporter code is allowed for once off or occasional exporters who have not been issued with an Exporter code. However a proper UCR is still required e.g., 9ZA070707070454.