Unfair "admin and documentation" fees.

I purchased a pair of jeans from Topshop Uk a few weeks ago. The jeans were R700 and I ordered them because of an easter special topshop was having where all international shipping was free. If not for this special, I would not have ordered the jeans.

I then received an email last week from Dawn Wing with an invoice amounting to a whopping R900 in customs charges and "admin fees" that I was told I had 7 days to pay before the amount increased to R1500. I have ordered online many times before, and have never in my life been charged such exorbitant fees. Even items that cost me more were never flagged with such intense fees when collected from the post office.

I want to know how it is ethically fair for a company to attach such ridiculous fees to a parcel when I didn't request a courier in the first place? If anything, I expected shipping to take longer because I had selected a FREE shipping option. I understand paying SARS customs duties and taxes, but to be charged so much on top of that for a service I did not request is ridiculous?