Sad day for popular post office

Anerley Post Office has shut its doors, the timing coinciding with reports that the South African Post Office (SAPO) is facing bankruptcy, despite past bail-outs amounting to billions of Rands.

It’s a big blow for the community, especially for elderly folk.

Aside from servicing more than 1000 post boxes, it’s also used as a venue for chronic medication to be distributed.

In addition, it serves as a hub of sorts for people to sell homemade and homegrown produce.

Willie and Theresa Terblanche have had a contract to operate the popular postal service in Anerley since last year.

But, says Mr Terblanche, they’ve had no real option other than to shut shop.

“We have closed our doors due to non-payment from the state owned enterprise,” he said.

The Terblanches have tried to keep things running, but cannot afford to keep digging into their own pockets to pay the rent to keep it open.

“We are owed at least R20 000 in monthly income. We’ve made umpteen calls and sent many messages, but have received no response.”

Mr Terblanche felt that the Post Office had breached its contract.

In a statement from the Post Office, spokesman Johan Kruger, said debtors will be paid ‘as soon as the cash flow situation allows it’.

“The Post Office’s revenue was severely impacted by the lockdown period, in particular during the time when only Sassa payments were possible. We certainly hope that the owner will continue to provide the service,” he said.

Mr Kruger said that, while it was well within the agent’s rights to suspend the provision of post office business, he or she cannot withhold any mail article (recorded or not), as this would be considered a criminal act, as set out in the Postal Services Act.

Mr Terblanche stressed that they are trying to send the parcels back to the main Port Shepstone Post Office so that people can collect them from there.

“The mail we currently have will be out in the post boxes, but no new mail gets accepted. The Post Office is are quick to say we are in breach of contract but don’t acknowledge that it breached the contract months ago.”

The Terblanche’s daughter, Bianca Engelbrecht, who manages the office, questioned why anybody in their right mind would work for months on end for free.

“We made it clear that we would close our doors until we received some sort of payment. The Post Office responded that we would be in breach of contract. Common logic says that when a person signs a contract, you work, they pay. They don’t pay, you don’t work!”

She explained that the Anerley Port Office was the only pay point accessible enough for their many retired customers, as well as for those without transport who needed to pay accounts.

“We desperately want to remain open and continue, but have battled to get payment from head office. We have a contract with the Post Office where we work for them as an agency and they pay us monthly. It’s not a large amount that we received but it covered our rent.”

“It has been hell for us to cover the rent out of our pockets, just to ensure customers can still do their transactions with us,” she said.

To make matters even more frustrating, they’ve also struggled with equipment that has been less than fully functional.

“We battle to get hold of the help desk to fix small problems, let alone head office for rent!”

Mrs Engelbrecht explained that it was not only their office with these types of problems, but many others experienced similar hassles around the country.

Meanwhile, the Port Shepstone Post Office will be moving from its current premises back to the company-owned building in Wooley Street.

The Post Office is currently renovating the building with the aim of being operational by the end of January this year.

At this building, it will be able to pay Covid-19 relief grants to the vulnerable, without causing discomfort to the property owner.

As before, two queues will be implemented: one for the Covid-19 relief grants and one for other regular transactions.

He added that the maintenance team would also secure the post in the boxes at Sunwich Port.

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