Now I'm getting desparate...

[bundubasher]

Barry Vandermoulen - Auto-Marine Shipping

OK – We paid this guy the balance of our outstanding account 10 days ago. He said that a credit card payment would take 5 days to clear (!) and that when it did clear he would send us the “Bills of Lading” for our trunks. Well we are still waiting. He has faxed us a copy of the Bills of Lading but they have the word “copy” stamped on every page. All he has to do is ring his agent in Durban and authorise the clearance of our trunks but this is exactly what is not happening. He is behaving in a childish and vindictive way and we intend to sue him as soon as we return to the UK. If anyone knows of any systems that might bring this man to account before then we would be pleased to hear and fund them.

[Guest]

Barry Vandermoulen - Auto-Marine Shipping

OK – We paid this guy the balance of our outstanding account 10 days ago. He said that a credit card payment would take 5 days to clear (!) and that when it did clear he would send us the “Bills of Lading” for our trunks. Well we are still waiting. He has faxed us a copy of the Bills of Lading but they have the word “copy” stamped on every page. All he has to do is ring his agent in Durban and authorise the clearance of our trunks but this is exactly what is not happening. He is behaving in a childish and vindictive way and we intend to sue him as soon as we return to the UK. If anyone knows of any systems that might bring this man to account before then we would be pleased to hear and fund them.

Enzo.

Sorry to hear about the troubles, can't think of a solution apart from going round his gaff, tooled up and ready to party. I'll go and get my trench coat out of the wardrobe.

Can't imagine what his problem is, you paid the money, and he has done most of the work - getting it to Durban, surely getting it through customs should be easy.

The only thing I can suggest if you don't get the proper copies is to pay a local agent to get them cleared for you - not sure if SA is as flexible as the middle east, however someone who has the right line in chat and the correct amount of Rand in his pocket may well be able to get said items removed from customs with or without the paperwork. Sorry I know it's not exactly legal but from my experience it's the way most of the world outside of the US and western europe works.

Cheers and good luck.

PS have you still got the same email address - I'll drop you an email if you do.