The South African Post Office (SAPO) has once again sparked frustration and confusion among customers following contradictory handling of undelivered and uncollected parcels.
A MyBroadband reader reported that their parcel ordered from AliExpress in May 2021 was returned to the sender after three months due to non-collection.
The package had arrived at the Lonehill Post Office in August 2021, but the customer struggled to collect during office hours and attempted to arrange redirection — multiple emails to SAPO customer support reportedly went unanswered.
When the customer followed up years later in November 2025, staff said the parcel would be difficult to trace without the original tracking number. They added that the Post Office typically returns parcels to the sender if not collected within three months.
However, SAPO’s actions appear inconsistent.
Responding to the publication, Post Office Business Rescue Practitioner Anoosh Rooplal said holding periods differ depending on the type of product, adding that customers may request extended storage or door delivery at an additional cost. He noted the customer should seek a refund from the sender.
But significantly longer delays have also occurred.
In June 2023, Durban residents Sanja and her husband Hanekom were stunned when a long-forgotten parcel — sent from the United States in March 2010 — suddenly resurfaced at their local post office, 13 years later.
The battered package, containing items for their child’s birth — including takkies, tea sets, interior design magazines and congratulatory cards — was originally dispatched as priority mail from New York.
The family had moved on and were not expecting any delivery, leading to disbelief when they saw arrival slips in their neglected post box after more than a decade.
As SAPO continues navigating business rescue, the contrast between parcels returned swiftly and others absurdly delayed highlights the operational challenges still plaguing the struggling state-owned entity.
