File
The Democratic Alliance has called for urgent intervention to save South African Post Offices.
MP and spokesperson on Communications and Digital Technologies, Natasha Mazzone, said a reply to Parliamentary questions revealed that 314 Post Office branches were closed in the past three financial years, with a further 24 closed in the first month of the current financial year.
"This shocking development not only undermines the integrity of our national postal service but also affects millions of people who rely on local branches to access essential services such as receiving their SASSA grants," she said.
"If this trend continues, individuals may be forced to travel long distances to the nearest SASSA outlet, exacerbating their already challenging circumstances. Furthermore, the ANC government's plan to establish a
Postbank owned by SAPO is deeply concerning," Mazzone added.
She questioned how the ANC expected a state bank "to be successfully operated by an institution that has failed to avoid liquidation and pay its employees for months on end."
Mazzone said the potential collapse of such a bank would jeopardise the life savings of hundreds of thousands of people and further erode public trust.
She said the DA was calling for the urgent privatisation of certain aspects of SAPO to ensure its profitability as a state-owned enterprise.
"This crucial step will not only safeguard SAPO's survival as the national postal service but also guarantee the timely payment of salaries, medical aid, and pensions to its dedicated employees," Mazzone said.
