South African Post Office ( SAPO ) is the South African postal service. It is a national service that belongs to the government. In legal terms, it is the only company that allows the transport and distribution of mail and parcels, which is why it is considered and operates as a commercial monopoly. It has more than 20,000 employees nationwide and almost 2,500 post offices across the country. Founded in 1991 and its tradition dates back to the 1500s when it was introduced into the country by the English colonizers.
It is the only shipping company allowed by the South African government. This means that if you use any other Courier company, it will be managed by the South African Post Office. It means that if there are problems with any shipment you should contact them directly. So if you use some other Courier like DHL they make their contact and permits with the government of South Africa.
In other words, if for example, you need to transport something that in other countries is normal and allowed such as legal papers or documents, but in South Africa, it is not allowed so you use any other transport company, it will not be possible. This is a service that needs improvement in this regard.
Is the South African Post Office reliable?
Each transport company tries to improve its service, its delivery times, and availability on a global level every day. The South African Post Office is no exception. Despite criticism of its commercial monopoly, the South African government maintains its position on maintaining control over it, granting a 25-year exclusivity permit in which SAPO becomes the sole provider of the service.
This prevents the diversity of rates, various services as well as renowned trademarks, which must work directly with SAPO on a mandatory basis. This detracts from some reliability as a company, however not everything is gray, they have also implemented online services to ensure their customers' products, such as SAPO tracking which you can access from a browser or app on your cell phone as well as a call in which you can check the status of your shipment.
How do I track an international parcel in South Africa?
If you need to use SAPO delivery services, they will give you a South African Post tracking number, with this you can verify your delivery status at any time on your computer or cell phone by accessing the main web page of the South African Post. This gives a feeling of reliability and modernity regarding its courier service.
However, there are times when the South Africa Post Tracking online service is not available. Sending an email is not the best option because they do not usually answer emails and messages. This subtracts points of reliability.
Although its online system is not 100% reliable, SAPO tracking exists and allows you to access the status of your shipment at all times, both for domestic and international shipments. Taking this deficiency into account, the company has decided to implement a free South African Post tracking app in the play store and Apple iTunes to track your shipments.
How long does customs clearance take in South Africa?
When you do South African Post shipping outside the country the overseas time is 8 to 12 weeks. Although this time varies according to the regulations of each destination country.
When you receive a package from abroad, it must first be checked by customs, then go through an inspection by the South African Health Department, then by the South African Revenue Service, and lastly, it will go to the South African Post shipping department to be checked one last time to be distributed. This process can take between 3 to 5 working days depending on the type of cargo and the country from which it comes
Where does the South African Post ship?
South African Post shipping offers a wide radius of destinations to choose from across the 5 continents with more than 200 countries including the United-States, Russia, Japan, China, Rwanda, Myanmar, Colombia, Chile, Australia, Italy, Canada Israel, Iran, Iraq.
If your country is not on this list, you can check it in the South African Post contact section located on its website. They have a PDF document where you can find everything related to the countries to which you will ship and receive packages.
How long does it take for the South African Post to deliver?
Although SAPO tracking is a service that needs improvement, it exists and every SAPO order has its tracking number, for domestic and international shipments.
South African Post delivery time changes depending on the type of shipment you are going to make. If you make domestic South African Post deliveries in the same city, it takes between 48 and 72 hours, an average time of 3 days for cities in the same province and 6 for cities in different provinces, giving a maximum of 10 days for a package to reach its destination. Now, if you need it to an EMS or express parcel it takes a maximum time of 2 days in exchange for an extra fee.
How do I contact the South African Post?
The South African Post Services official website is the place where you can register and download South African Post tracking, the app that allows you to locate and have an eye on your orders, which is available in the Play Store and iTunes Store.
You can also make payments of duties or import taxes, request an online appointment, and then go to any of the available offices throughout the country. They offer manuals regarding their South African Post shipping services internationally with the list of countries and their rates. Also provides the address of its physical offices throughout the country
For a South African Post contact, you can send an email or call the telephones placed there. There you can make suggestions, handling irregular situations such as theft of merchandise, damages to the box, delays in the transport service, or bad treatment from its staff.
