Post office boxes plagued
A Toti resident is disgusted by the terrible state the area surrounding the post office in the CBD is left in some mornings.
The resident, who did not wish to be named for fear of retaliation, said two or three times a week when she goes to collect post, the area surrounding the post boxes is left in a shambles.
“On Monday morning when I went to collect post, there was drug paraphernalia, puddles of urine, trash thrown around, some sort of white substance crushed on the wooden table, graffiti on the post boxes, cigarette butts, ash and plastic straws lying around.
I’m not sure why the gates to the post boxes weren’t locked on Saturday, but it’s obvious that whoever was there over the weekend had plenty of time to do what they wanted.”
This is not the first time the resident has complained of this.
“This happens over the weekends and sometimes during the week as well. I don’t understand why the police or the CCPO aren’t doing something about this when members of the public have time and again pointed out that the post office is an obvious hot spot for these junkies.”
CCPO administrator, Fran Cole said the organisation is aware of the problem and do patrol in the area.
The resident said some mornings there are suspicious characters loitering around the area, in such an inebriated state they can’t even stand. “Some mornings I don’t even get out of my car, I rather drive off. Elderly people catch the bus from the post office and to have such characters hanging around there is not acceptable. I have had a post box there for years, but I’m now considering moving it.”
This problem has also plagued the Toti Tennis Club in recent times, according to James Austin, who has witnessed car guards smoking whoonga there over the weekend.
“The SA Post Office strives always to ensure the safety of its patrons,” said communication specialist for KwaZulu-Natal, Nobuhle Njapha.
“Our cleaner at Amanzimtoti Post Office reported that when she came in on Monday to clean the area, there were lot of papers on the floor, one gate had been vandalised and she found some urine on the floor.
Our maintance section has since repaired that gate and it has been locked. Unfortunately one has to be left open for our patrons during the weekend.
We will work with Toti SAP to address this problem and if necessary, we will implement other measures to keep the post box area safe and clean.” – earlb@dbn.caxton.co.za
