Strubens Valley post office still functional despite poor condition
Residents and customers have complained following the perceived abandonment of the property
Unless they are bills, sending and receiving physical mail is a lost joy.
Remaining South African Post Office (SAPO) customers using the mail collection point on Geldenhuys Street have reported the shoddy condition of the outlet.
With broken windows, a wide open front door and a deteriorating facade covered in graffiti, customers would be forgiven for thinking the office was abandoned. Despite the advert for an auction, the auctioneers and SAPO confirmed the post office is still operational.
SAPO noted that the sale of the site was temporarily on hold and that measures have been taken to safeguard their asset.
“The Strubens Valley postboxes are still in use. They were cleaned and secured, unfortunately, after that the homeless people gained access through the ceiling. SAPO does intend to sell the site and relocate the postboxes to a nearby, convenient place,” stated Johan Kruger from the entity’s Communications Division.
The national mail distributor announced earlier in 2022 that it would be auctioning some of its properties following a post-pandemic decision to sell off some assets. Public and private sector auctioneers, Auction-All, received the mandate to carry out the sale of at least 30 post office assets but the entity confirmed Strubens Valley was not currently on the block.
Also read: https://www.citizen.co.za/roodepoort-record/2022/06/28/where-did-our-postboxes-go/
“The Post Office did take Strubens Valley from the market. They are only selling a few mail collection points and empty stands this year. Strubens Valley is not on our list for October,” confirmed Yolandé Nel, Director of Auction-All. For an auction held on March 7, Auction-All listed the starting price for the 1 250 square metre Strubens Valley post office site at R785 000.
