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SA Post Office to close some 235 branches nationwide, says Gungubele

Details

postoffice thumb100 Cape Times reports that about 235 SA Post Office (Sapo) branches are set to be closed, leading to employees being retrenched, after the conclusion of a ‘section 189’ process conducted by the CCMA.

Among these branches, 104 are in the Central region (Free State and North West) 41 in the Northern region (North Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West), 28 in the Western region (Western Cape and Northern Cape), 24 in the Eastern Cape, 21 in KwaZulu-Natal and 17 in Gauteng (most of Gauteng and the Vaal Triangle). The embattled public entity is currently undergoing a business rescue process. However, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele could not tell MPs which Sapo branches would be closed and he also could also not give the exact number of employees to be retrenched. “The joint business rescue practitioners are not prepared to share the actual list of branches as it stands whilst the process of liaising with landlords is in progress and the possibility of branch relocations are at hand,” he indicated. Gungubele made the remarks in response to parliamentary questions from DA MP Natasha Mazzone. David Mangena of the SA Postal Workers Union said it was shocking that Gungubele would not disclose the number of Sapo employees to be retrenched when he last year put the number at 7,000. Sapo would be left with about 3 000 employees if Gungubele’s statement last year was true. He also questioned why Sapo was allowed to degenerate when the entity did not pay statutory obligations such as pension and Unemployment Insurance Fund contributions to ensure that it met its obligations.

  • Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mayibongwe Maqhina at Cape Times


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