1. RCG will go live this Friday, 20 April 2018 DEAR STAKEHOLDERS
MPR (Manifest/Cargo Reporting) and DPR (Declaration Processing) will stop processing from 17:30 Friday 20 April 2018.
All EDI messages will be queued from 17:30. There is no need to suspend sending on your side.
If you are ready with the “new” RCG (D16A) messages, this is the time you should deploy the changes on your side.
PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE
Both the “old” MPR messages (D95B) and “new” RCG (D16A) messages will  be accepted and processed after 17:30 Friday 20 April 2018.
SARS will convert the “old” MPR (D95B) messages to be acceptable to RCG, for example: CUSCAR-COM will become a CUSCAR- ALM and CUSCAR-COH will become a CUSCAR-ALM (dependant on Bill of Landing Indicator). 
Additional mandatory data elements will also be managed according to specific business rules.
A “warning” message will appear in all CUSRES messages not submitted in the “new” RCG (D16A) format together with any conversions done.
This conversion by SARS is an interim measure to provide more time for compliance and will be for a limited period only (until 1 June 2018) thereafter all “old” MPR (D95B) messages will not be processed.
You are therefore urged to move over to the “new” RCG (D16A) messages as soon as possible.
All live profiles with CUSCAR, COSTCO, CALINF, CODECO and COARRI messages will be amended with the “new” D16A messages added. No new registration or applications need to be done for those. 
GOVGIO and CUSCAR-AND and CUSCAR-ANT (Advance Notification messages for Depots and Terminals) from SARS will be added for those who already are registered for COSTCO messages. 
Please do your testing in the TEST environment. If it becomes clear you are testing in the LIVE environment ,SARS reserves the right to disable your ‘live profile’ until your testing in the TEST environment shows a respectable acceptance rate.
TRANSITIONAL REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS
Vessels in transit should be handled as follows:
Where you are ready to submit “new” format, submit CUSCAR ALM & ALH messages asap after 17:30 on Friday 20 April   Do not wait for arrival of vessel.
If not ready to submit the "new” format, continue to submit on “old” format and timing, until ready with “new” format. Once on “new” format submit CUSCAR-ALM & ALH messages asap for all vessels in transit to close the gap.
The downtime is expected to be longer than normal due to the size of the implementation. 
 Declaration processing is expected to be up by 20h00.
 Cargo Reporting (RCG) expected to be up by 22h00 if all goes as planned.
 SARS personnel will be deployed to border posts during the implementation to assist.
 Please ensure that all priority / urgent movements are submitted well in advance (by 15h00) to avoid any delays.
NOTE: Manifests received after 17:30 will only be processed and available at border posts after RCG is up
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION – SARS EDI TEAM