Postal Services Bill could be amended
Controversial draft legislation effectively giving the SA Post Office a monopoly on handling parcels weighing less than one kilogram might be amended by the National Council of Provinces.
The Postal Services Amendment Bill was approved in the National Assembly last month, despite the objections of the official opposition, and is now being considered by the NCOP.
Democratic Alliance spokesman Vincent Gore said yesterday he had been informed that the NCOP committee dealing with the bill would be discussing an amendment to the “fundamentally flawed” legislation early next week.
“The bill, in its current form, makes it illegal for any company to deliver parcels weighing less than 1kg.
“This would have granted a monopoly of sorts to the Post Office to handle all packages weighing less than 1kg.
“It would also have had ludicrous implications for courier companies and fast food outlets,” he said.
“The Post Office would, for instance, have been the only legally allowed entity to deliver fast food and flowers. Many courier companies would have been forced to close down.”
Gore said the DA also intended to table its own proposed amendments next week.
“We will suggest that the principle of the underlying Act (Postal Services Act of 1998) remain intact, and that the amendments reflect the necessary tightening up of definitions as required by an Appeal Court Judgment earlier this year.”
It was important to remember the courier industry and the Post Office offered different services.
The Post Office offered a basic postal service, while the courier companies offered value added services.
The final legislation should clearly state this, and prevent the courier industry and the Post Office from operating in each other’s turf, Gore said.
