Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele has assured parliament that government is working tirelessly to save the SA Post Office (Sapo), which was placed under provisional liquidation earlier in 2023.
Addressing MPs on Thursday, Gungubele said: “We want to assure you that we have been working tirelessly with the entity to explore various options to find an optimal approach within the legal prescripts and confines of the provisional liquidation to save the entity and ensure business continuity.”
He added that the Post Office is working with the provisional liquidator to ensure the provision of essential services is not affected.
“We will in the next coming week table an approach to cabinet for approval to ensure business continuity,” said Gungubele.
“We want to reiterate that the government’s main objective is to ensure that this entity is repositioned, modernised, and continues to serve the millions of South Africans it has been serving over the past 200 years.”
He noted that government’s plan is to get these matters resolved before the June 1 final court date, so that the entity can continue to operate.
“For now, it is vital to assure the public that we are working tirelessly to ensure that the optimal option to mitigate the liquidation is put in place, with the objective being to save the entity.
“This will ensure that the impact of the liquidation on ordinary South Africans making use of Sapo services is mitigated.”
He said a critical feature of saving the Post Office is to ensure that government repositions and modernises the entity to respond to service needs in the digital era.
“To give effect to the Post Office of tomorrow strategy, the department has already embarked on amendments to the Sapo Act and as such, the Sapo Amendment Bill has already been introduced in parliament for processing,” he added.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa.
