David Broad, Constantia
I write with concern over the abrupt termination of street-address mail deliveries in Constantia by the SA Post Office.
Residents of Constantia, including me, have not been receiving mail deliveries to our homes for some time - in my case since the end of March - and there has been no explanation or any communication at all from the post office. We know the Constantia post office closed some months ago apparently for reasons of downsizing, but our postal deliveries continued, at least until the end of March.
A few days ago, I phoned the Plumstead post office and was told that our mail was being directed to Tokai post office. However, today I learned that this is clearly not the case.
I visited the Plumstead post office in person and spoke to a teller and asked why we had had no mail deliveries. I learned that all the equipment, such as bicycles needed for street mail deliveries are under lock and key somewhere, having been impounded by the landlord for non-payment of rent.
I was told that our mail was at the Diep River sorting depot, which is located in Enchor Road, opposite the Diep River police station. So I went there and found it closed. I went into the adjacent pub, where a friendly manager said that if the steel shutter doors were down, it meant the staff were all out, but when the door was open, I could go in and collect my mail. He offered to do it for me later, but I declined, thinking it better to collect my own mail. He took my phone number and offered to phone me when the doors were open again.
Meanwhile, Constantia residents are in the dark as to where our mail is and have no idea how to retrieve it. It is unacceptable that the post office should treat us in this way with not so much as an apology or an explanation. What course of action could be taken to rectify the problem?
• Johan Kruger, spokesman for the SA Post Office, responds: Unfortunately the Constantia and Retreat depots have been locked out owing to a rental dispute, which the Post Office is addressing urgently.
The sorting of mail for this area is now done at CapeMail.
The Post Office does have a shortage of bicycles for local deliveries in the area, which means that customers who live beyond walking distance are requested to collect their mail at the Plumstead depot, which they can contact on 021 712 5031. The Plumstead mail depot is in the Dorian Centre, Enchor Road, Diep River.
The Post Office understands that this is inconvenient to clients and is working to remedy the situation as soon as possible.