What the Post Office is Doing - Frightening stuff

[microfast]

<b>From the Star Business Report - Thursday October 2 2003</b>

(Shortened version of the original article)


<b>New Postal Law may stamp out private sector couriers</b>

Cape Town - Thousands of private sector jobs in the courier delivery service could face the chop following the passing of an amendment in parliament outlawing the distribution of parcels under 1kg by private companies, Peter Baker, a spokesperson for express Parcel Association, said yesterday.

He said the amendment made virtually every courier and delivery company - such as Sun Couriers, DHL, Mounties and Federal Express - technically illegal ......

The way the law was written meant that it would be illegal for a private company to deliver flowers, a pizza or a bottle of pills.

Baker said <b>the Post Office had told parliament it intended to close down the courier companies so that the parastatal would have sufficient volumes to be profitable</b>.

Johan Naude of the legal department at the Post Office said that <b><font color="red">he could not comment on this legislation either "today or tomorrow</font id="red"></b>".




<b>This is scary stuff - very scary</b>

[caroper]

This could generate a potential market for small boxes and envolopes lined with depleated uranium. [:D]

Not a problem for software houses though, they will just start including printed manuels again. [;)]

[bullstein]

The main problem seems to be this:

This can (and probably already has) cause a trend to protect monopolies such as Telkom and the Post Office, at the expense of you and me, the consumers.

This is probably one of the first range of legislation that shows us that this rainbow country of ours is actually a socialistic one - this is not meant to sound political, it is merely my point of view.

Should this type of behaviour from the government prevail we can not seriously expect other nations to invest in our "free market economy".

[WhatsUp]

This just means that we start including half a brick with every letter sent via courier.[:D]


If at first you can't download, try and then try again...

[paf]

Yeah, I was also very concerned when I heard about this one for the first time. Makes me think this government just doesn't cut it ....and really wonder where this country is going...

[Adder]

It is going the way every African country goes.
You wanna see what is the future, look at the other Southern African countries.[:(]

[musnit]

A Pizza? - No more Mr. Delivery???

[Nickste]

The pizza one isn't really a problem for me...
I easly get over 1kg of pizza with each order [:)]

Really, I cannot believe that South Africa is run by such a bunch of idiots. Surely they (the people who made the law) must realise what the result of their action is, or does it not really click?

If you want to send a business partner an important letter, that needs to be delivered quickly, do you go to the post office or do you go to DHL?

*Rant*
Chow, Nick

Nick Smit
adsl@nicksmit.za.net

[DarkSkies]

Next thing you know they are going to start taxing e-mail ..... [V]

[ASnogarD]

This is not good...

The reason courier services do well is that the Post Office service is deplorable and it is common to have ones parcel fail to arrive, or have some of the contents removed. If the PO rather ramped up its service to compete with courier services they would then fairly be able to gain a portion of the market again, this feels like someone got some money from the back door again.

Its unfortunate, but it seems to be a trend in african politics to pay off the powers that be rather than engage in fair market practises, this also tends to propigate the live now and screw the future mentality that is prevalent in african society.

I know this is impossible but I really wish politicians would stop looking at political appointments as a means to enrich themselves and see it as a responsibility, a duty to use this appointment to enrich the country.

[kaspaas]

Our company mailed a envelope overnight mail from Centurion to Johburg (R21)

It arrived a week later.

Post Office (what else) - sorry but it is not our problem. Won't refund. Won't accept responsibility for additional costs we had sending a staff member at high speed down the N1.