Terms and Conditions of Service

1. Service Scope & Logistics Workflow

Crossa provides an end-to-end cross-border logistics and concierge procurement platform:

• Virtual South African Transit Address: Users receive a dedicated delivery address at our central intake hub in Midrand, Johannesburg for purchasing goods from South African online and retail stores.
• Cross-Border Transit & Freight: Consolidation, secure transport, and automated customs clearance of parcels into the Kingdom of Eswatini.
• Final-Mile Delivery & Collection: Pick-up at Crossa Hub collection counters, automated Smart Lockers, or doorstep final-mile delivery across Eswatini.

2. User Declarations & Customs Accuracy

Customers are legally designated as the Importer of Record and are solely responsible for declaring the true, authentic contents, descriptions, and purchase value of all incoming goods:

• You must provide an unaltered, official merchant purchase receipt or tax invoice for every registered package.
• Under-declaration, false description, or concealing prohibited items is a criminal offense under customs law (SARS & Eswatini Revenue Service - ERS). Failure to provide accurate declarations may result in border delays, administrative fines, or seizure of goods by revenue authorities. Crossa is not liable for any losses incurred due to inaccurate declarations.
• Crossa reserves the right to open, inspect, weigh, and verify packages for safety, security, and statutory customs compliance.

3. Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

We are committed to providing a reliable, predictable cross-border service. Our public SLAs are:

• Hub Processing: Packages arriving at our Midrand intake hub are weighed, inspected, and registered to your account within 8 business hours of physical courier delivery.
• Proactive Notifications: You will receive real-time updates via WhatsApp and SMS for key status changes (hub intake, customs clearance, transit departure, arrival at collection hub, and out for delivery).
• Last-Mile Delivery: Final delivery to your doorstep or collection locker occurs within 48 business hours following settlement of customs duties and shipping invoices.
• Support Response: Our customer concierge team provides a first response to all support queries within 2 business hours during operating hours (08:00 – 17:00 weekdays, excluding public holidays).

4. Pricing, Freight Rates, Customs Duties & Payments

All service quotes are billed transparently in South African Rand (ZAR) or Eswatini Lilangeni (SZL):

• Chargeable Weight: Shipping fees are calculated based on the greater of actual scale weight or volumetric dimensional weight (Length × Width × Height in cm / 5000).
• Customs Duties & Import VAT: Customs VAT and import tariffs assessed by the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) are statutory pass-through costs. Crossa facilitates the clearance and advances these fees on your behalf. All invoices must be paid in full prior to release or dispatch.
• Payment Methods: Accepted payment channels include MTN MoMo Eswatini, Standard Bank EFT, and Visa/Mastercard via secure iKhokha gateway. Packages may be held until full payment has cleared.

5. Prohibited & Restricted Commodities

Crossa strictly prohibits transit of items that are illegal, hazardous, or restricted under international aviation and customs regulations:

• Hazardous materials, fireworks, lithium batteries shipped loose without certified packaging, flammable liquids, pressurized gases, and corrosive chemicals.
• Firearms, ammunition, weapons, replica firearms, weapon components, and tactical military equipment.
• Narcotics, illegal substances, and scheduled pharmaceuticals (Schedule 2 and above) requiring a doctor's prescription.
• Counterfeit, fraudulent, or pirated merchandise.
• Perishable fresh foods, raw agricultural seeds, live plants, or biological specimens without prior phytosanitary clearance.

6. Over-The-Counter (OTC), Health Supplements & Temperature-Sensitive Goods Policy

• 6.1 Permitted Scope: Crossa facilitates forwarding and procurement of personal-use quantities of non-prescription, Over-The-Counter (OTC) health products (Schedule 0 and Schedule 1 only), vitamins, dietary supplements, and non-medicated cosmetics. Prescription medicines (Schedule 2+), injectables, and cold-chain items requiring continuous 2°C to 8°C refrigeration (e.g., insulin, vaccines) are strictly prohibited. The customer confirms that all health purchases are strictly for personal use (maximum 90-day supply). Unauthorized items will be rejected or returned at sender's cost.
• 6.2 Controlled Ambient Standard (15°C to 25°C): Crossa operates a Controlled Ambient logistics network. We do not operate active refrigerated linehauls. For items requiring passive temperature buffering (such as probiotics or gel capsules), the originating merchant or customer is responsible for adequate insulated thermal packaging upon arrival at our Midrand hub. Crossa accepts no liability for melting, consistency changes, or thermal degradation resulting from ambient transit conditions.
• 6.3 Crossa Shop / Cart vs. Ship My Package: For items ordered directly via the Crossa Cart (“Shop For Me”), Crossa inspects product eligibility upfront, verifies seal integrity, and checks for a minimum 6-month shelf life upon intake at Midrand before dispatching under pre-cleared documentation. For “Ship My Package” (independent parcel forwarding), packages are received sealed and Crossa accepts no responsibility for merchant-packed contents, near-expiry goods, or degradation occurring while awaiting customer invoice upload or payment.
• 6.4 Customs Holds & Force Majeure: Cross-border consignments are subject to statutory border inspections by ERS and health authorities. Crossa is not liable for thermal excursions or shelf-life degradation resulting from customs inspections, border delays, or force majeure events outside our operational control.
• 6.5 Accelerated Storage Duration & Holding Limits: Due to stability considerations, standard 15–30 day storage allowances do not apply to OTC and temperature-sensitive goods:
  • Midrand Intake Hub: Maximum storage is 7 calendar days before mandatory dispatch, return, or disposal.
  • Eswatini Collection Hubs: Complimentary holding is strictly limited to 72 hours (3 business days) following arrival notification.
  • Demurrage: Storage beyond 72 hours incurs a holding demurrage surcharge of E25.00 per calendar day.
  • Abandonment & Safe Destruction: Any OTC or temperature-sensitive item remaining uncollected after 7 calendar days at the destination hub will be deemed abandoned and safely destroyed in accordance with health standards, without entitlement to refund or compensation.
• 6.6 Smart Lockers: Temperature-sensitive parcels placed in Crossa Smart Lockers must be retrieved within 24 to 48 hours. Parcels remaining after 48 hours will be removed to staffed climate-sheltered hub storage to prevent heat spoilage, incurring standard demurrage fees.

7. Limitation of Liability & Transit Insurance

• Default Liability Cover: Every package shipped via Crossa is protected by default liability cover for physical loss or damage up to a maximum value of R1,000.00, conditioned upon presentation of valid proof of purchase (merchant invoice).
• Optional Top-Up Insurance: For items valued above R1,000.00, customers may purchase Optional Top-Up Insurance via the customer portal once the package is registered at our hub. The insurance fee is calculated at 2.5% of the declared purchase value (e.g., R125.00 to fully insure a R5,000.00 laptop), providing full coverage up to R25,000.00 per consignment.
• Acceptance of Risk: If you decline Top-Up Insurance for goods exceeding R1,000.00, you acknowledge that you are self-insuring for the excess value, and Crossa's liability will be strictly capped at the R1,000.00 default cover.
• Exclusions: Crossa is not liable for merchant shipping errors, pre-existing product defects, inadequate retailer packaging, indirect or consequential losses, or prohibited goods.

8. Claims Process & Resolution Timelines

• Initiating a Claim: To report loss or damage, email claims@crossa.africa with your tracking number, official merchant invoice, and clear photographs of the packaging and item (for damage claims).
• Submission Deadlines: Damage claims must be lodged within 48 hours of receipt. Claims for lost consignments may be lodged if the package has not arrived within 7 calendar days past the estimated delivery date.
• Resolution: Validated claims are investigated and resolved within 10 business days with repair, replacement value, or account credit.

10. Governing Law, Dispute Resolution & Contact

• These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdom of Eswatini.
• We reserve the right to amend these Terms periodically. Continued use of Crossa services signifies acceptance of revised terms.
• For general inquiries or support, please contact our team at sawubona@crossa.africa.