Bonteheuwel Post Office has permanently closed its doors

Bonteheuwel Post Office has permanently closed its doors on Wednesday.

This move comes as the South African Post office (SAPO) faces a provisional liquidation. The company had to reduce salaries by 40% salary cut about 6 000 jobs. SAPO is facing debt of R5.4 billion. The National Treasury bailed the state-owned entity with R2.4 billion to clear its debt.

PICTURE: SA Post office logo

Bonteheuwel ward Councillor, Angus McKenzie said he is not shocked by the closure in the area, but rather ‘dismayed’, and has blamed it on poor organizational skills from national government.

‘’I am not shocked, I am rather hugely dismayed at the consistent onslaught and attack from the ANC national government on the poorest of the poor. With SASSA teetering on the brink of collapse and now its service provider to the SASSA recipients now shut the people of Bonteheuwel will have little or no access to this much needed service.’’

‘’Every single state owned enterprise under the ANC government put in place to service the poor, and the people of Bonteheuwel has been allowed to collapse due to ongoing mismanagement, corruption, and theft. Like Home Affairs, like SASSA, like SAA, like ESKOM and now Post Office, it is clear that serving the poor, serving the people of Bonteheuwel will never be the intention of the ANC government,’’ added Angus McKenzie, Bonteheuwel Ward Councillor.

In February, Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis has written to the South African Post Office to request an urgent engagement on the closure of all its services in Mitchells Plain.

‘’It has come to my attention that the South Africa Post Office (SAPO) has decided to close all branches in the Mitchells Plain area. Mitchells Plain has many thousands of residents who rely on the SAPO for their mail and withdrawal of their South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grants. This decision will have serious negative consequences for local residents,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.

Hill-Lewis said it was unacceptable that Mitchells Plain residents were simply being referred to the closest branch located some twenty kilometres away.

‘’I have asked for a meeting with the post office to discuss possible solutions to this. My hope is that we can agree that SAPO must open at least one of their branches in Mitchells Plain. Residents are already struggling with the rising cost of living. Travelling twenty kilometres to the nearest post office is a big ask,’’ added Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis.

 

Done By: Mitchum George