I guess you are aware that, in law, the Post Office is the only organisation that is allowed to deliver parcels weighing less than 1kg?

There’s a court case running (since 2018) at the moment between Postnet, Takealot and the SAPO challenging this monopoly, but Hey, surely we want to support our SOEs?

We shop online a lot and receive about two deliveries a week. Now, let’s see how the SAPO goes about these things.

Helen ordered me a pair of Thi Chi shoes from Hong Kong.

There arrived by air, went through customs and were collected by the SAPO for delivery to our street address.

Helen tracked the delivery and when it said that the parcel was at the post office, she went to collect it.

It was addressed to 14 George Avenue, Knysna, with the correct postal code.

When she got there, they couldn’t find the parcel. After much searching and head scratching they advised Helen that it was, in fact, at the post office in George, about a 1 hour drive away.

She questioned how that could have happened and they said that it was probably because our street address said George (Avenue). Ho hum!

She then asked why they couldn’t get the George post office to simply forward it to Knysna. Well, they could, but it would then have to go via the Hub, which I happen to know is 1000 km away in Mondeor, South Johannesburg.

Helen drove to George!