Minister might stamp out South African postal tariffs rise

Consumers will pay 10% more to post a standard letter from next month, with the postal regulator having approved another hefty rise in postal tariffs.

The move could bring the SA Post Office under government’s spotlight following concern expressed recently by Public Enterprises Minister Jeff Radebe at the effect of administered price increases on inflation.

Radebe indicated that inflation target restraints on tariff increases could be included in the protocols of stateowned enterprises.

This came after parastatals such as Eskom, Telkom and Spoornet recently implemented large price hikes, adding to the Reserve Bank’s burden in its bid to bring inflation into a 3%-6% target range.