Incompetent personnel and poor management could still cause collapse of Post Office, according to internal document

21 July 2015

The SA Post Office will apparently rather go under as a result of affirmative action than to appoint competent people to management positions, Adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on communications said.

In an internal document of the Post Office, titled ‘Corporate Strategic Plan’ which the FF Plus has a copy of, serious acknowledgements are made regarding the factors which have driven the Post Office to the brink of the abyss.

One of these is the incompetence and low productivity of its workers – especially management. More surprising is the acknowledgement that the management positions are on filled to 49% of its full capacity.

Regarding the current crisis, the document reads: “Clear warning signs that the Post Office is heading for a financial disaster, were covered up by poor management whose information to the Board of the Post Office was accepted unquestioningly …”.

Adv. Alberts says this aspect should without delay be investigated. “The Post Office, itself acknowledges that there are people in management who should be held responsible for the problems. They have to take responsibility for the current situation,” Adv. Alberts says.

Some of the problems mentioned in the document include:

- Leadership was unstable for the past five years. The vacancy rate for leadership positions is current at 51%. A successful turn-around strategy is impossible without a stable management team. Such a program is now of cardinal importance;

- Huge cash-flow problems and accumulated debt;

- A lack of skilled labourers, unproductive workers, poor financial management and a shrinking income base are mentioned as the biggest ‘weaknesses and threats’;

- Outdated technology; and

- The Post Office have for the past six years been operating at a loss. The projected loss for 2015 will be R1,75 billion.

Adv. Alberts says an example of misspending of funds is the newly rented head office of the Post Office, Echo Park in Centurion. The move to the premises amounted to R400 million. In the mean time, the previous head office, which is the property of the Post Office is standing empty.

“Officials in high authority who were possibly instrumental in losses and misspending of millions of rand, has gotten off scot-free and in addition were rewarded with enormous bonuses and golden handshakes.

“The conscientious workers who did not go on strike, may however not do it. They have also not received an increase in the past two years and until recently there was talk of up to 5 000 workers, who without a doubt would have been white and part of the reliable and competent workers corps, being retrenched.

“The destructive work of affirmative action and trade unions is clearly visible on nearly every terrain in South Africa and nowhere more so than in what has happened to the Post Office and is now being acknowledged by the Post Office itself.

“The message to South Africa is that those who strike, break down and destroy are rewarded, while good and dutiful workers have a sword hanging over their heads,” Adv. Alberts said.

Statement issued by Adv. Anton Alberts, FF Plus parliamentary spokesperson: Communication, July 21 2015