South Africa - Striking Post office workers dismissed

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The SA Post Office has issued letters of dismissal to 588 striking workers, as mail piles up after a month-long wildcat strike.


"At this point there is no solution other than dismissal. The circumstances have truly compelled us to embark on this route, as we considered the sustainability of the business," said CEO Christopher Hlekane.

"It is vital to always consider our customers as being at the centre of everything we do and the illegal strike has impacted our services to them."

The post office will be hiring temporary staff to deal with the employee shortage, Hlekane told The Times.

"There is still a backlog, which should take around 15 days to clear. Gauteng will be worst affected," Hlekane said.

"The main centre in Tshwane is operating at almost 100% but the centre in Witspos [south of Johannesburg] is still struggling."

Since the strike began, Gauteng residents have been receiving sporadic mail delivery. This has led to Unisa students being deprived of study materials and some residents failing to pay their bills on time.

"I haven't received any post in the last four weeks, with the exception of one or two pieces of mail," said Peter van der Molen, a Benoni resident.

"We don't receive any accounts [and then] are subject to penalties for late payment."

The Times reported last month that the strike is over workers' outrage at being duped by certain colleagues into paying for a lawsuit against the post office.

The staff members believed they stood to win billions of rands from the legal action and collectively handed over an estimated R400000.

Though the post office was awarded an interdict last month that ruled that the strike was unprotected, the strike has continued.