Post Office closure concerns residents
A resident 70-year-old Alberton North resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, has been experiencing problems with having to go to Alberton post office.
ALBERTON – An elder in the community now has to go visit Alberton Post Office because the post office situated in the Squeeze-in-Spar facility is no longer functioning.
Post office spokesperson Johan Kruger explains, “The SA Post Office and the property owner were unable to agree on a suitable rental. The closure of the Alberton North post office is only temporary.
“Until the Alberton North post office is reopened, customers will find the Alberton post office (corner Alwyn Taljaard and Du Plessis road) and Verwoerdpark post office (second avenue complex, corner Braun and 2nd Avenue) conveniently close by.
“We understand that the post office renders a vital service to the community, and it will be reopened as soon as suitable accommodation in the area can be found.”
The post office was convenient for older people who live in the area, without having to travel back and forth to the Alberton post office which, according to a community member, only has one or two tellers helping and the service is bad.
Johan responded, “After the closure of the Alberton North post office became unavoidable, the tellers from Alberton North were allocated equally between the Alberton and Verwoerdpark branches; both are nearby. Both post offices are keeping statistics of waiting times and will change the allocation of tellers where necessary. The lotto machine will be reinstalled within days.”
Another resident of Alberton North also expressed her view on having problems with this. She, being eighty years old believes the reason for the old post office being closed down is because of corrupt service. She said she was charged R26 for a parcel to be delivered to a certain destination but the price should have been R6.
Kruger explains that parcels are priced according to weight. The cheapest option is an eco-parcel which costs R21.50 and must be below 1kg in weight. For anybody in the community, please ask for a rates brochure and if you are unable to get to the post office, a brochure can be sent via post, which they (post office) are glad to deliver.
