8 April 2025
Free SA has submitted a formal appeal to the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies to end the South African Post Office’s (SAPO) monopoly over reserved postal services, labelling the current model as “outdated, dysfunctional, and economically unjustifiable.”
The submission comes amid mounting evidence that SAPO is unable to fulfil its universal service obligations, despite decades of market protection and repeated government bailouts. Free SA argues that the time has come to liberalise South Africa’s postal sector and allow private competition to bring real efficiency, innovation, and access to all.
“The SAPO monopoly has not protected the public—it has failed them,” said Reuben Coetzer, spokesperson for Free SA. “We continue to pour billions into a broken system that cannot deliver mail reliably, cannot manage its own operations, and cannot justify its existence in a modern economy.”
Despite its exclusive rights over key postal services, SAPO remains financially insolvent and structurally incapable of meeting public needs. Rural communities have been especially hard-hit, with post office closures and delivery backlogs cutting millions off from essential communication channels.
“We’ve received comment after comment from ordinary citizens who no longer trust the post office to deliver a birthday card, let alone essential documents,” Coetzer added. “The public has lost faith—and rightly so. It is time the government caught up.”
Free SA’s submission includes public feedback from its online platform, with citizens expressing deep frustration and calling for immediate reform. Common sentiments include:
“I will never trust SAPO again.”
“They’ve failed us completely—privatise it now.”
“Bailouts are a waste of taxpayer money.”
Free SA is urging the government to repeal SAPO’s exclusivity, introduce full market competition, and pursue phased privatisation—beginning with public-private partnerships and culminating in full divestment.
Privatisation isn’t about abandoning the poor—it’s about delivering services that actually reach them,” said Coetzer. “There are global models that prove this works. Germany, the UK, Sweden—they’ve shown that you can have universal service without state monopolies.”
The proposal also calls for an independent oversight panel to guide the liberalisation process and safeguard public interest.
The submission highlights that SAPO’s failure may constitute a breach of Section 195 of the Constitution, which requires public administration to be efficient, accountable, and development-oriented.
“This is not just about mail—it’s about dignity, access, and trust,” Coetzer emphasised. “The postal system should be a symbol of national unity and connection. Right now, it’s a symbol of state failure.”
Free SA is calling on the Department to act swiftly and decisively, stating that liberalisation is not a risk—it is a rescue plan. “We must stop rewarding failure,” concluded Coetzer. “We owe South Africans a postal system that works—not because it is protected by law, but because it delivers.”
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Anneke Burns
071 423 0079
Free SA Publicist
media@freesa.org.za
About FREE SA:
At the Foundation for Rights of Expression and Equality (Free SA) we are committed to empowering South Africans to have their voices heard. In a true democracy, every opinion counts, and we ensure your voice resonates where it matters most: in Parliament, in public policy, and in the laws that shape our country. From advocating for democracy and equality to holding the government to account, we stand with you to demand transparent, responsive, and fair governance that serves its people.
To learn more, visit: https://www.freesa.org.za/