Delivery services, SASSA cash payments suspended due to unrest

south africa unrest looting gauteng kzn

Multiple couriers warned customers to expect delays for their packages due to unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, while SASSA suspended cash pay point deliveries.

The Department of Defence also announced that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) would be deployed to assist law enforcement in Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal.

This is as a result of unrest and looting taking place in city centres in the provinces.

News agencies shared footage of residents looting items from damaged storefronts in areas such as the Durban CBD, Soweto, Voslorus, Johannesburg CBD, Pietermaritzburg, and other areas.

Protestors also reportedly barricaded certain roads.

Certain taxi operators have chosenn not to operate due to fears of vandalism.

Meanwhile, numerous e-commerce websites and courier companies have announced delays. This is due to companies closing offices or not dispatching drivers due to safety concerns.

Companies warn of delivery delays

aramex delivery warning protests

Aramex issued a warning on its local site that no collections or deliveries would take place in Ladysmith, Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Richards Bay, or the Johannesburg CBD.

courier guy website delivery delays

The Courier Guy website also noted that due to the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal, the kiosks and branches would have skeleton staff.

Meanwhile, local e-commerce sites Loot.co.za and Koodoo released notifications to customers that the unrest would cause delays.

SASSA cash deliveries suspended

However, while parcel deliveries may cause an inconvenience, some essential services have also been suspended due to the unrest.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) announced that it will not deliver cash to its pay points until further notice.

This is due to concerns around cash in transit heists.

This also means that beneficiaries cannot withdraw cash at pay points.

However, the agency encouraged beneficiaries to use their SASSA cards to buy goods or receive cash from merchants or bank ATMs.

Feature image: Jilbert Ebrahimi/Unsplash

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Megan Ellis
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