As the others have said selling the vehicle (without paying the relevant import duties) is what the carnet is designed to prevent happening.
People do sell cars after their trips. I suggest you track some such people down and ask them how they handled it. Try looking in the 4x4 for sale section here and also try the Africa 4x4 Cafe (google it).
Whatever you do don't stick your head in the sand and lose more money than the car is worth by not dealing with the carnet. If you just ditch the car for example then South African customs would potentially be able to claim for import duty (up to 70% of whatever THEY deem the value to be) and the RAC will come to you for that.
I was once told by someone who should know that the vast majority of claims under RAC carnets worldwide come from South African customs so it may be sensible to move the vehicle out of SACU (SA/Bots/Nam) if it looks like this isn't going to get resolved before your carnet expires.
Update:
Saw this on a for sale ad on the Africa 4x4 site mentioned above.
Carnet: Currently on a Carnet de Passage valid until Feb. 2013. Buyer will need to arrange their own Carnet, and return our completed Carnet to the RAC upon leaving Kenya.
Sounds like you have to find a (probably UK) buyer, get them to arrange a carnet (keeping fingers crossed RAC will still do this for a vehicle already overseas) and then trust your purchaser to post the carnet back to the UK. NB on this last point it would be much better to exit on the carnet yourselves, enter another country on a TIP and sell there. That way you will keep control over the process. It does mean you can't sell in SA though as can't enter there on a TIP.
Last edited by itchyfeet38; 29 Mar 2013 at 17:07.
Reason: Update
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