Brackenfell Post Office, due to a lack of funds, has failed to meet standard fire-safety requirements for the last two years, endangering the lives of employees and the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This amid the decade-long financial battles of the South African Post Office that resulted in insolvency in 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In direct breach of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the fire hose at this post office was last serviced in October 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South African fire-safety standards require fire equipment to be serviced annually or that their foolproof status is ensured in case of a fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A concerned citizen, Martin Coetzee, observed this date of service on the fire-hose reel while waiting in the queue on a recent visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNoting this, I requested to speak to the health-and-safety representative about the non-compliance and the response was utterly alarming. I was informed that the post office did not have money to adhere to the minimum legal requirement to have the fire equipment serviced,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coetzee then requested to see the office manager and her response, according to him, was the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Staving off South African Post Office liquidation, business-rescue practitioner Anoosh Rooplal and Juanito Martins Damons were appointed joint interim rescue practitioners on 24 July, after a ruling of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria in early July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Friday Rooplal told TygerBurger<\/em> the two are now effectively assuming full control of the management and supervision of the post office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis means we can now attend to dealing with the many operational challenges affecting the organisation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe branch network and the fact that the branches tend to operate correctly is the cornerstone of this business to many South Africans. Our assessments and investigations of the branches are a top priority, notwithstanding the financial and operational constraints that beset them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGiven the early stages of our appointment, we request some time to appreciate the operational and financial issues.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n He could not give any indication of when issues such as fire or other occupational safety regulations at post offices would be investigated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Financial Mail<\/em>, the Post Office has \u201cguzzled R8,4 billion in taxpayer bailouts in the last five years\u201d while paying its directors a total of R23,9 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The state-owned enterprise\u2019s liabilities exceed its assets by R4 billion and its debt totals R8 billion with the business rescue making way for another R6,2 billion taxpayer bailout. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But for those like Coetzee still making use of the entity this is little consolation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFire safety is of critical interest to both employees of the postal services and the broader public that is still making use of this entity. Equipment and buildings can be replaced, but not life, once perished in a possible fire,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Brackenfell Post Office, due to a lack of funds, has failed to meet standard fire-safety requirements for the last two years, endangering the lives of employees and the 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