SHOCKING SERVICE!!! Waybill Number ***

Absolutely SHOCKING service! I expected only the best from a well-known company whose tagline is “Excellence. Simply Delivered. Actually, it's not just a tagline – we truly live it."

Well, I am pulling my hair out in frustration and am fearing that the bag of USED Scuba Gear that belongs to my son, Cameron Young (i.e. Personal Effects and not anything new nor commercial) to be delivered to London by latest 30th June, will never leave ORT in time at this stage!!!

We declare that the goods in question are NOT new items and that they are personal effects. They are Scuba Gear (older than 6 months) that my son, Cameron Young is needing to be transported from SA (where I reside) to London (where his father resides). My son is currently in Spain, will be travelling to London on 27th June to visit his father and needing to collect his Scuba Gear in London, en-route to Thailand where he has been offered a job as Scuba Instructor.

Furthermore, may I ask if DHL SA and DHL UK are speaking to each other and if they actually know what they are doing. As a Customer, I was expecting a smooth door-to-door transition, not this stressful debacle! There seem to be too many people working for different departments (Export, Customs Affairs, Import, Duties Invoicing), who don't talk to each other. As for me trying to speak a human being, having to hang on the line for ages being told by a recording how amazing your service is, and getting nowhere!!!

The parcel was collected on 19th June by a friendly and helpful driver. That is the only part of your service that was really good. An amount of over R15 000-00 (for an amount that was quoted online as R12,864.26) was debited by DHL SA to send my son’s possessions to the UK. His father was subsequently told by DHL UK he had to pay £555-00 in Customs Duty (which he has did) before the goods would be released (and that he could claim this amount back by submitting an amendment with HMRC and in turn credit the invoice pending the outcome of the claim) even though the goods are Personal Effects.

Firstly, my Customs Clearing Instruction got lost in South African cyberspace, then I was told that Customs has rejected my invoice as the requirement is for one nvoice but each item to be stated with its own value, so then I provided an itemised invoice last night on a template provided to me my Customs Affairs.

Meanwhile, the used Scuba Gear is currently sitting in the Cargo Terminal at ORT, is on hold and has not left Johannesburg!

I do not know how else to satisfy these ridiculous requests for sending very used-, loved- and essential- Scuba items in a bag belonging to my son, to London for him to collect on this way to a Scuba Instructor Job in Thailand.

I expect a resolution by close of business day today please.

Tess Young