Brackendowns resident cries foul to local post office

We all have heard of emails disappearing into cyberspace or not making it to another inbox because of power failures, etc.

Few, however, have heard that it took a letter posted in Brackendows destined for the Alberton Record offices in New Redruth an entire 10 months to reach its destination.

Brackendowns’ St. Ledger Hunt cries foul due to the Brackendowns Post Office being the ‘masters of vanishing post’ after sending multiple parcels which did not reach their destinations.

Hunt sent a letter to the Alberton Record through Brackendowns Post Office on February 7. The stamp on the envelope shows it left the Post Office on March 2. The letter was delivered to the Alberton Record office on November 14.

The letter read as follows:

In September 2021, I posted four envelopes overseas – two to Australia, one to the United States of America and the last one to England.

As of this month, none have received any of the letters. When I enquired at the Brackendowns Post Office, where I posted it, if they ever sent my posts, their answer was ‘yes’.

I then contacted the overseas people who said nothing has arrived. They said they enquired in the Australian post office. They said no mail has arrived at their post office from South Africa. Same and the same in the USA and England. So, where is my post?

I contacted the post office head offices and their reply was ‘we cannot explain’. It would be appreciated if you can do some investigation into the above ‘mastery of vanishing post’. Note in 2011 I sent two parcels to Australia, but to date still have not arrived.

With thanks

St. Ledger Hunt

The Alberton Record followed up on the matter with both parties.

According to communications division of South African Post Office spokesperson Johan Kruger, normally it takes 10-15 days for air mail packages to leave South Africa and another 10-15 days for delivery. Once they arrive at the international sorting centre, they are sorted and placed in bags that head to the destination country, after being checked for unlawful contents and customs requirements.

“When they arrive in the destination country, the parcels are once again screened for illegal contents and then processed normally by the postal administration in the destination country. Sea mail is more cost-effective, and it takes between six weeks and 10 weeks to reach its destination,” said Kruger.

The resident, Hunt, said he went to the post office several times to ask the post office to track the whereabouts of his parcels. Allegedly he was told the South African Post Office tracks parcels up to the local airport and from there they do not have powers to track further.

“I am a senior who knows less about revolving technology and that is why I still physically go to the nearest post office to post my envelopes rather than using the fast technology. Only if now, I can at least know where the parcels and envelopes are,” said Hunt.

Kruger requested Hunt to bear with them as all necessary investigations will be conducted regarding this matter and answers will be brought forward, only if he has the requirements to track his stuff.

As the Alberton Record received the letter after quite some time, it visited St. Ledger Hunt at his home to ask if by any chance the envelopes arrived at their rightful owners. He gave them a call and still the parcels were not received yet.

The Alberton Record will provide more details of this matter at a later date.