Residents in Observatory and surrounding areas are in limbo following the closure of the Mowbray Post Office in St Peter’s Square, Observatory.
According to residents, the closure was carried out without prior notice.
People’s Post visited the facility on Tuesday 5 July and was met with confused patrons.
They said they had no idea that the facility was not operational.
“The St Peter’s Square/Observatory South African Post Office is closed until further notice,” reads a notice in the window.
A resident, who did not wish to be named for fear of reprisal, said: “I didn’t know the facility was closed. I came here because I needed to sort out something, but was met by the sign on the door. We weren’t informed of anything.”
Stephen van der Spuy (74) said he used the facility once a week, and was not informed it was going to shut down.
“I have lived in Observatory for more than 70 years, and for the duration we have always had a post office. I will now have to travel to City Central, Maitland or Claremont if I need a post office. That is a big inconvenience.”
Van der Spuy said he enquired after the sudden closure from a neighbouring mailing delivery depot.
“I went to the manager of the Rondebosch mailing delivery depot. He told me that they’re having negotiations with the management to try and keep that post office open, and it may very well still be opened at a later stage.”
A few other patrons took to Facebook to express their dissatisfaction.
One user wrote: “Usually there are quite a few people queuing there. The area definitely needs it.”
Another said: “Post offices do a lot more than just post mail. They’re a cheaper, more accessible courier service for many people and small businesses. At the same time email cannot do many things ‘snail mail’ or traditional mail can do, and many people still want to be able to send and receive letters and post.”
Johan Kruger, Communications Officer for the South African Post Office, says: “The Mowbray Post Office in St Peter’s Square is temporarily closed due to a rental dispute. The Post Office is working hard to solve the situation as quickly as possible, and apologises to customers for the inconvenience.”
He said the post office is at loggerheads with the landlord of the centre.
“Unfortunately the landlord is not allowing the Post Office access to retrieve the mail items in the branch. It remains in negotiations with the landlord in this regard, as it can be seen as a contravention of the Post Office Act, which states it is a criminal offence wilfully to obstruct the delivery of a postal article.”
Responding to enquiries on how mail packages and other services can be accessed, Kruger said: “All items received from 21 June are being forwarded to the Rondebosch Depot, 5 Queen Road, Rondebosch, where customers are welcome to collect their items. Notices have been placed on the shopfront windows to inform all customers of this temporary arrangement.”
He explains that the Cape Town main post office “is the closest for normal transactions.”
According to Kruger, “no other post offices in the area are earmarked for merging or closure.”
The St Peter’s Square management did not respond to queries at the time of going to print.
- To contact the Rondebosch Depot call 021 685 6893.
