Legal
Terms and conditions of trade
The terms that apply when you ask CrownXpress to source, ship, clear or deliver goods.
Last updated: 28 September 2026
1. About these terms
These terms apply to every quote we give and every service we provide, whether you are importing into South Africa or exporting out of it. By asking us to act for you, you accept them.
If you have a separate written agreement with us that has been signed by both parties, that agreement applies where it differs from these terms.
Nothing in these terms limits any right you have under the Consumer Protection Act, where that Act applies to you.
2. Words we use
"We", "us" and "CrownXpress" mean Crown Express (Pty) Ltd, trading as CrownXpress. "You" means the person or business that asks us to act. "Goods" means the items we are asked to source, ship, clear, store or deliver. "Service providers" means the shipping lines, airlines, road hauliers, warehouses, terminals and other parties we use to move your goods.
3. How we act for you
We arrange the sourcing, carriage, customs clearance, storage and delivery of your goods, using service providers where needed. Unless we agree otherwise in writing, we act as your agent in dealing with service providers and do not carry the goods ourselves.
Service providers work under their own terms, including limits on their liability, and those terms apply to the part of the job they perform.
4. Quotes and prices
A quote is based on the information you give us and on the rates, exchange rates and duties that apply on the day we quote. Unless the quote says otherwise, it is valid for 14 days.
The final amount can change if that information turns out to be different, or if rates, exchange rates, duties or service provider charges change before the job is done. Extra costs can also arise from things such as port storage, container detention, customs inspections or delays you cause. Where we can, we tell you about extra costs before they are incurred.
5. What you are responsible for
You must give us a full and accurate description of the goods, their value, quantity, weight and origin, and all the documents and permits that the law requires for them.
You confirm that the goods may lawfully be imported or exported, and that they are properly packed and marked. Dangerous or restricted goods must be declared to us in writing before we accept the job.
You are responsible for any duties, penalties, fines, storage or other costs that arise because information or documents you gave us were wrong or incomplete.
6. Duties, VAT and other charges
Customs duties, VAT and other charges raised by SARS or any other authority are for your account, even where we pay them on your behalf. If SARS later adjusts the amount owed, the adjusted amount is payable by you, and we will show you the notice we receive.
7. Payment
You pay us according to the payment terms on our quote or invoice. We may ask you to pay freight, duties and VAT before we pay them on your behalf, and we do not have to pay any amount for you until we have received it.
Amounts that are overdue may carry interest, as allowed by law.
8. Holding goods until payment
We may hold your goods, and any documents for them, until everything you owe us has been paid. Storage and other costs during that time are for your account.
9. Insurance
Your goods are not insured by us unless you ask us to arrange cargo insurance and we confirm the cover to you in writing. Insurance we arrange is at your cost and is subject to the insurer's terms.
10. Our liability
We are only responsible for loss or damage that is caused by our own negligence. We are not responsible for loss or damage caused by service providers, customs or other authorities, the nature or packing of the goods, or events outside our control.
We are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, such as loss of profit, loss of a market or penalties under your own contracts. Where we are liable, our liability is limited to the fees we charged for the service concerned, unless the law does not allow this limit.
11. Claims
If goods arrive damaged or short, tell us in writing within 7 days of delivery, and keep the goods and packaging so they can be inspected. If goods do not arrive, tell us in writing within 7 days of the date they were expected. Claims made after these periods may not be accepted by us or by the service providers involved.
12. Delays and events outside our control
We plan every shipment around your deadlines, but delivery dates are estimates. We are not liable for delays caused by service providers, customs, port congestion, weather, strikes, breakdowns or other events outside our control.
13. Cancelling a job
You may cancel a job by telling us in writing. You remain responsible for our fees for work already done and for costs we have already committed to service providers on your behalf.
14. Your personal information
We use your personal information only to provide our services, to communicate with you about your shipment and to meet our legal obligations, including those to SARS. We handle it in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act.
15. General
These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. If any part of them is found to be unenforceable, the rest still applies. We may update these terms from time to time; the version on this page on the date you ask us to act is the one that applies.
16. Contact us
Questions about these terms? Email us or call us, and we will explain anything that is unclear.