Leonard Neill DON’T EXPECT changes to be made to the Postal Services Amendment Bill which will affect the services of courier operators. Instead learn to interpret the contents of the bill carefully and understand the position of courier companies with regard to the 1kg restriction rules. That’s the message sent out this week by Phumelele Nzimande, deputy director general of the postal business unit in the SA Post Office. “I’m annoyed at the way some people, especially those in political circles, have been attempting to construct arguments as to how the Bill will affect anyone,” she told FTW this week. “Frankly, the law makes it clear. The Post Office has the exclusive right to handle all items up to 1kg. But this must be accepted in terms of how the post office performs its duties. “What rubbish to suggest that private deliveries of such items as pizzas and fresh flowers must be exclusive to the post office. That To page 16 From page 1 was never intended. Likewise, if you are waiting for your air ticket to be delivered to you, that’s not our business. Couriers are employed to handle these matters and they will continue to do so without our concern. Personal delivery of items remains the right of the courier industry. If any company is uncertain on the issue, they should contact the right authorities, either our offices or their nearest post office.” Suggestions that the bill demands that such items as pizzas and cut flowers must be delivered through the post office because of the bill’s regulations, were made in parliamentary debate last week by opposition members. “From the point of view of the post office any items under the weight limit which are to be delivered by our messenger service to post boxes and street addresses must go through our channels. That has always been the case. But you won’t expect our man on a bicycle to include pizzas, air tickets, urgent medical requirements and other time-definite items in his delivery mailbag. “It is just not true that personal delivery of items under 1kg will become illegal.” She said that the only amendment to be considered in the final stages of the Bill this week was that a clause requiring couriers to deliver items by 13:00 the next day was to be changed to ‘next working day.’ Nzimande has however offered assurance on one major issue facing courier companies. She has denied they will be required to pay R10 000 to apply for licences to continue operating, after which they would have to pay a fee of R55 000 a year for two years and then 2% of turnover. The requirement has been held in abeyance until the entire system can be reviewed by the postal regulator next year, she said.
