Trying to stamp out post office neglect

TWO teenage sisters from Chatsworth have enjoyed the novelty of receiving letters addressed to them from friends around the globe in recent years, even though the delivery lived up to its reputation: snail mail.

It has also developed their interest in collecting stamps.

However, their favourite pastime has come unstuck because the Chatsworth Post Office is badly run-down, mainly because of neglect and criminal activity, and unable to offer its usual wide range of services.

Divya Bala, 18, a member of the Shallcross Scouts group, and her sister Nidhi, 16, of the Queensburgh Girl Guides were disheartened at not being able to send and receive letters from overseas friends belonging to guiding organisations.

“I like receiving letters especially when it's addressed specifically to me ‒ it feels more personalised ‒ and we are also able to exchange badges.

“Access is now a challenge because there are no other nearby post offices to buy stamps, so we now have to email,” said Divya.

Nidhi said the excitement of writing to share her joy at turning 16 last month was doused.

The South African Post Office service has been in dire financial straits in recent years resulting in many branches shutting countrywide. The SOE has been in desperate need of funding if it is to survive.

Last month the SAPO made a formal request for funding of R3.8 billion from the Treasury to turn its fortunes around, or it would face liquidation.

This week, Communications Minister Solly Malatsi said they were considering privatising the SAPO.

The youngsters’ visit to the post office with their mother Lavinia Moodley a few months ago was in vain and they were not able to receive the services they required.

While there, Moodley chatted with security company owner and community activist Quenton Chetty about the plight of the post office near the Chatsworth Centre, the main business hub in one of Durban’s largest suburbs.

Chetty spoke of numerous complaints from residents about ongoing criminal activities at the site, which is a few hundred metres from the local metro police station and a stone’s throw away from the Chatsworth police station.

Chetty, with fellow community activists Suran Gounden and Rocky Naidoo, are deeply involved with civic associations in Chatsworth and formed the Human Rights Activist Forum in August. Moodley has also joined the forum, which aims to service the various needs of the community and are already engaged in a few projects.

Prompted by a burglary at the post office last month, the forum’s members inspected the site and found a plethora of problems.

The building was largely abandoned, apart from a few staff members sorting mail in a back room with no water or electrical supply. Bush and overgrown trees covered much of the property, and there were panels missing from the boundary fencing.

Most glass panes were broken or stolen, electrical components, plumbing parts and gutters were stripped and roof sheeting was taken by vandals.

“It was heartbreaking to see a landmark building in Chatsworth providing essential services badly ruined. It is now a haven for criminals,” said Gounden.

Having engaged with Sapo heads, the forum was assured that the Chatsworth branch was earmarked for restoration, but funding had been held up.

Gounden said their plan was to rehabilitate some parts of the building in the interim so people would benefit from some services, which was SAPO approved.

They began by removing the overgrowth of bush and have since teamed up with the weFEEDSA, an NGO focused on providing sustenance for the needy and other community upliftment initiatives like clean-ups.

“weFEEDsa has made one of their teams available to assist with the clean-up and rehabilitation work.”

Gounden said the focus would move to securing the perimeter fencing before doing a tidy-up of the inside of the building and reinstating the electrical supply.

“Our goal is to have it functional again by the end of next month so that some services could be provided. Further upgrades and infrastructure improvements will be dependent on what funding the branch receives,” he said.

In spite of the perilous position of the Sapo, Naidoo said they wanted to turn things around and prevent a complete collapse of the post office, so that local and residents from neighbouring communities could benefit from some services.

“We are very excited about what has been achieved thus far, given the state of disrepair it was in,” said Naidoo.

Moodley said she was grateful to play a part in making the post office accessible to communities and businesses that rely on it.