Free SA calls for the Post Office to be privatised, as government reviews 'reserved postal service'
Government has forked out over R8 billion on the ailing SOE in a bid to save it from total collapse.
The South African Post Office. Picture: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp
Stephen Grootes speaks to Noluthando Hlophoyi, Free SA Spokesperson about government's call for public comment on reviewing the Post Office's exclusivity in reserved postal services.
Listen to the interview in the audio below.
The communications & digital technologies department is reviewing the South African Post Offices ‘reserved postal services’.
These would be the exclusive services provided by the Post Office.
The Post Office has been in business rescue for about 20 months, with government having spent billions of rand in bailing it out.
According to the Postal Services Act, 'reserved postal services' includes the posting and delivery of parcels under 1kg, as well any letters, roadside and address box collections and the issuing and sale of postage stamps.
A review of the exclusive services rendered by the Post Office could see these regulations amended, paving the way for the dismantling of the State-owned enterprise as the private sector steps in to fill the gap.
Speaking to Stephen Grootes on The Money Show, Noluthando Hlophoyi, spokesperson for the Foundation for Rights of Expression and Equality (Free SA) says the state can no longer afford to bail out the Post Office.
"We proposing for the Post Office of course, to be privatised."
- Noluthando Hlophoyi, spokesperson - Free SA
"Currently, as you can see the post office has been suffering for a while now. Since 2014, the Post Office has been bailed out for R8 billion."
- Noluthando Hlophoyi, spokesperson - Free SA
"We've been bailing out something that has not actually, not even prospered but also not awakened or been resurrected."
- Noluthando Hlophoyi, spokesperson - Free SA
Scroll to the top of the article to listen to the full interview.