The unexpected closure of the Muizenberg Post Office on Wednesday 23 February has left residents baffled.
According to residents, there was no prior notification, with some claiming to have renewed their post boxes just the previous day.
SA Post Office spokesperson Johan Kruger says the Muizenberg branch closed due to an “unexpected” termination of a lease agreement by the landlord.
“The post boxes will be moved to the Retreat Post Office 6,8 km away. In the meanwhile, our customers can collect their mail from the Retreat Post Office,” he says.
Kruger adds that the post office will not re-open.
“It is permanent and we do not plan to open a post office in Muizenberg at a new venue.”
Resident Steven Orme wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday 23 February that he was unaware that the post office would be shutting its doors.
“The Muizenberg Post Office is closed until further notice; I knew that about an hour ago.”
Commenting on the closure of the post office, Patricia Winks said she preferred if mail collections are moved to Blue Route Mall in Tokai instead of Retreat.
“Oh goodness. First the Capricorn Post Office closed, now Muizenberg. For safety reasons I think they should move us/all our collections to Tokai Blue Route instead.
“Retreat is a quiet and very dangerous site; it had an armed robbery again in December, and was still closed when I had to go to the depo late January. I am definitely not comfortable going there on a regular basis.”
Frank Barry wrote that there are many post offices closing due to debts.
“A lot are closing, the whole postal system is in massive debt to landlords,” he said.
Shane Craig Tilley agreed the postal system is bankrupt: “The post office in South Africa is bankrupt so it may be closed for good.”
Heidrun Koetsier said she received a notification to collect her parcel at the post office only to be turned away.
“The same day I received a notification in my street box to collect my parcel, I went to the post office only to be told it is closed from yesterday (last Wednesday). I can fetch my parcel this week in Retreat.
How very inconvenient. Fish Hoek would have been better.”
Caren Braun added the Constantia Post Office also shut its doors and the PO boxes disappeared. “I don’t actually know where it went to.”
Brenda van Straten says: “I hope this doesn’t happen at Muizenberg because they just had us renew our PO boxes.”
Responding to claims made by some residents, Kruger said the Post Office’s income was severely affected during the Covid pandemic.
“The Post Office’s income was severely affected by the restrictions of the Covid pandemic and we have not fully recovered from that yet. The result is that the Post Office can only partly service its debt at this time.
“We have implemented projects to improve revenue and they are showing results. The online renewal for car licences (not available in the Western Cape) is one example. We have also signed delivery agreements with several e-Commerce traders from abroad, including Wish.com
“We are also in discussion with government for assistance.”
