Bryanston Post Office drama
SANDTON - Bryanston residents still wait for post boxes at Bryanston Post Office.
Many readers responded to the article, Signed sealed and not delivered, week ending 29 April, by writing in to express their opinions about the Bryanston Post Office.
An anonymous resident wrote, “In mid-November last year I read that my post office had closed due to non-payment of rent. The report went on to say that mail could be collected from Bryanston West Post Office, on the corner of Main Road and Peter Place. A couple of weeks later it was reported that the Bryanston boxes would be relocated to Sloane Square, so it should be business as usual.”
The resident added that six months on and despite having paid her postbox rental in December, she still had no post box. “Apparently I can collect my post [letters only] from the post office, between the hours of 8am and 4.30pm from Monday to Friday, but the whole reason I pay for a box is for the convenience of being able to collect my mail outside of working hours.”
She said that it was of greater concern now being the start of tax season. “I am beginning to receive e-mails from various retail and banking institutions requesting that I go online to update my contact information as my postal address is invalid,” said the resident.
Paul Fouche, South African Post Office regional manager for Witwatersrand, responded to the resident’s letter. “The SA Post Office can confirm that over-the-counter transactions at the Bryanston Post Office in Sloane Square are available and that the outlet is functional, and would like to apologise for the temporary arrangement for collecting mail addressed to the Bryanston postboxes,” Fouche said.
He said the owner of the Sloane Square property has undertaken to build a structure in which the Bryanston postboxes would be installed. “The building work of the post box facility was unfortunately delayed and the post office will announce an estimated time for completion of the structure as soon as possible,” added Fouche.
He explained that once the facility was completed, people who rented post boxes would be able to use their existing postbox keys and access the postboxes at their convenience.
In the meantime, they could continue to collect their mail during office hours at the Sloane Square post office.
Another resident inquired as to whether or not motor vehicle licences could be renewed at the Bryanston Post Office.
Fouche replied, “A terminal for motor vehicle licences is installed in the new post office outlet in Sloane Square. It is not operational yet, but the South African Post Office has requested the Department of Transport, which owns the motor vehicle licence terminal, to connect this machine.”
