Some Limpopo-based burial societies that invested with the Post Office are unable to withdraw their money. The burial societies’ leaders say they have been queuing outside the Polokwane Post Office for weeks to access their investments without success.
Some say they were told by post office employees, that they are only allowed to withdraw a maximum of R2 000.
The existence of burial societies are common in many rural areas, where a group of community members gather and contribute money to assist with burial logistics in a time of need.
Lucy Lebepe from Aganang Burial Society says they deposited over R36 000, and when they tried to withdraw R5 000 for the burial of a community member they were told that Post Office had no money.
“When we go to the Post Office they turn us down and we want that money to be ours. We can’t bury our people in the villages because we can’t access our money they tell us we can only withdraw R2 000 and that is not eno,” says Lebepe
But those who have invested their funds in the post office say they feel robbed of their investment by the post office. According to them, they have not been able to bury their loved ones for the past three months. This after the Post Office told them they could no longer access the whole amount of their hard-earned savings, but can only withdraw maximum of R2 000 a day.
Delayed funds
Lucy Lebepe from Aganang Burial Society says their society invested over R30 000 in the post 0ffice, and that they wanted to withdraw over R5 000 to bury a community member but were told the post office did not have money.
“When we go to the post office they turn us down and we want that money to be ours. We can’t bury our people in the villages because we can’t access our money they tell us we can only withdraw two thousand and that is not enough,” she adds.
Maganyane Burial Club also suffered a similar fate, after investing over R70 000.
Selokela Mamaragane affiliated with the Maganyane Club says, “We invested R71 000 in the post office but we were told we can access it. We are afraid now because we might lose our earned savings.”
Mamolatelo Malemela, a 70-year-old pensioner, invested her grand children’s grant with post office to buy clothing for Christmas. She was however told she could only withdraw R2 000 of her R40 000 investment.
According to Malemela, “When I go to the post office I experience problems I wanted to withdraw my money in December so that I can be able to buy my grandchildren clothes for Christmas but they told me there was no money.”
The South African Post Office has promised to resolve the problem.
SABC News previously reported on the impact of the Post Office’s financial woes
