Post now to avoid festive disappointment, says South African Post Office

Due to delays associated with sending mail abroad, the South African Post Office has urged clients to send parcels with urgency.

November 7, 2017

Bruce Douglas 1 minute read

Send international mail now, or it may not reach its destination in time.

The South African Post Office (SAPO) has urged customers to mail Christmas parcels urgently.

Due to delays associated with sending mail abroad, SAPO has advised residents to act now to ensure post reached its destination on time.

Their warning was particularly aimed at those using ‘surface mail’.

The following dates were sent as a guide by SAPO, as the proposed final posting dates for overseas mail and parcels:

Air mail

Items should be posted before December 8.

Surface mail

Tristan da Cunha, Ascension and St Helena – November 24

New Zealand, Eastern and Western Africa, Madagascar, Angola, Malawi and Zambia – December 1

Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe – December 8

SAPO also stated registered items could be insured against non-delivery, not damage.

This was reportedly due to SAPO having no control over the contents of a package or the packaging material used, and thus could not accept responsibility for possible breakage.

The following hints were also offered to postal users:

Parcels should be packaged securely, as they are transported in bulk.

If a mail item did not fill the container, the container should be filled with shredded paper, polystyrene or other packaging material to absorb any bumps.

“Make sure the items you are sending are legal in the country of destination. In most countries, plant and animal materials cannot be imported.”

Also refrain from posting illegal items (i.e. drugs), items which can leak (such as liquids), items which could catch fire or explode (aerosols and flammable liquids).

International and Speed Services items are X-rayed and scanned before sending.