Cape Town — The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) opposes calls to privatise or liquidate the South African Post Office (SAPO).
In a statement, COSATU was deeply distressed by the trauma inflicted upon SAPO’s staff, and it was shocked that thousands of SAPO employees have been pickpocketed by cruel and criminal management of salaries, increases, and pension and medical-aid funds.
“Despite the Federation intervening repeatedly with government and the Business Rescue Practitioners, workers have been made to pay the price of SAPO management who failed to ensure the post office kept pace with radical technological advances in the postal sector and who all too often prioritised enriching themselves instead,” COSATU spokesperson, Matthew Parks, said.
#COSATU is deeply opposed to calls to #privatise or liquidate the South African Post Office @KhuselaS @SollyMalatsi @PostofficeSa @Newzroom405 @naledimoleo @AldrinSampear @AndeeM_ pic.twitter.com/CuweSTWDvo
— @COSATU Today (@_cosatu) October 4, 2024
The Business Rescue Practitioners made promises to turn SAPO around, but things have gone from bad to worse with more than 200 branches forced to close, while others have been left abandoned and vandalised by criminals. In May this year, SAPO announced that it would retrench nearly 5,000 workers.
COSATU said all calls to privatise or liquidate SAPO should be abandoned.
“SAPO was once a thriving public entity until the decade of state capture and corruption. With competent management, financial relief and repositioning SAPO can again play a leading role in the postal sector,” Parks said.
During the 6th administration, the African National Congress (ANC) passed important legislation allowing SAPO to enter the lucrative courier sector and become a “one-stop shop” for citizens to apply for various government services to allow Postbank to be a fully-fledged commercial and retail bank.
What is COSATU doing to safe Post Office by extension safe jobs? The Unions at times are just a bore, talking too much but showing zilch zero niks nada. Yes privatization will shed jobs but some employees will still work. Rather than total close.
— 27LesetjaKhwinana (@27Lesetja) October 5, 2024
SAPO said the two critical legislative interventions will reposition SAPO and Postbank to enable them to thrive.
“It is urgent that the government stave off the liquidation of SAPO and reject calls to privatise it. Treasury needs to provide SAPO the financial relief as provided for in the Budget,” Parks said.
These interventions would put SAPO and Postbank on a recovery path and would protect the role they play in disadvantaged communities.
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Picture: X/@PostofficeSa
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
