In a reply by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, to a written question by DA Member in the National Assembly, Madeleine Hicklin, it was revealed that one of the reasons for the closure of over 20 branches is due to non-payment of rentals. Hicklin’s question was to find out if the reason for the closure of the large number of post offices in the country over the past three years is to reduce the footprint of the Post Office and also the failure to pay the rental amounts.  

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The reply to Hicklin, as advised by the South African Post Office (Sapo), details that the 144 branches that were closed is almost due to the congestion of branches. The few branches that closed in rural areas were due to incidents of crime. It was in late 2020 when Sapo claimed that armed robberies at its facilities have dropped by 45%, as compared to the previous year. Sapo head of national security, Vossie Vos, previously attributed this trend to security upgrades carried out of late. These upgrades were done first at high-risk branches and are continuing to be implemented at post offices countrywide. According to Vos, the measures include “improved, alarm systems, counter screens, burglar bars, security doors, high strength safes, and dye stain technology for cash that is taken, as well as security guards, where advisable”.

It was reported in the same year that six of Sapo’s branches were robbed by armed criminals. The robberies, five of which were in the Western Cape alone, occurred as grants by the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) were being disbursed to beneficiaries countrywide. Central South Africa was not exempt from this trend, with the Botshabelo Post Office in the Free State facing the same fate as its Western Cape counterparts. Fortunately, the security measures led to two armed robberies in the North West and Eastern Cape being foiled.

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