SAPO and International Parcels - Not Accepting International Parcels?

[paulnb]

So my USA order shipped via USPS International First Class postage arrived at ORTIA on 26 April and went into the JIMC mail sorting centre black hole. Unfortunately the USPS tracking service stops once the parcel reaches Johannesburg.

After waiting a month I went to my local post office in the vain hope of collecting the package, but they just checked on the SAPO TrackNTrace system, which does not pickup the US tracking number. (Previously JIMC would allocate an Incoming International II SAPO tracking number to track the parcel from JIMC to the destination post office, but they stopped doing that a year or so ago - now they use the shippers tracking number).

I then phoned JIMC on the 0119216000 number and to their credit they answered within a couple of minutes. The lady that assisted me could see on their system that the parcel was at the Tshwane Hub mail centre, so at least some progress made.

So I waited a couple of weeks for the parcel to travel from Tshwane Hub to my local post office - again the same story, my local post office check on TrackNTrace using the US tracking number and they still don't find my parcel.

In desperation I then emailed JIMCCustomerServices@postoffice.co.za. I received a detailed response from a lady called Elise who emailed me a screengrab showing my parcel was on its way to the destination post office, she gave me the steps I must pose to my local post office:

The staff at the post office should do a manual check in their books (POD) with your name and address.
They should check in the CN23 book to confirm receipt of the parcel.

She explained why the US tracking number does not work on the TrackNTrace system - the item cannot be traced in the network since Tshwane Hub is dispatching parcels in bulk to the delivery post office.

So just like SAPS, there are some competent people working at SAPO.

So armed with this information I went to my post office, and voila they were able to find my parcel in the parcel storeroom.

Interestingly the shipper used the "Parts or Accessories for Rifles and Shotguns" tariff code, which triggers that customs then require an ITAC approval, but in this case they let the parcel through without it.

I prefer to use SAPO as little as possible, but most gun stores in the USA only seem to offer USPS as a delivery option, which means the last mile delivery is performed by SAPO. Freight forwarders like Aramex Global Shopper, MyUS and NYBox have restrictions on shipping gun parts and accessories.

[atunguyd]

Try this website.

https://parcelsapp.com/tracking/

I tracked a registered post parcel from Hong Kong and to my local post office with only the international code.

Sent from my SM-N975F using Tapatalk

[Captain Hook]

So I tried Paul NB suggestion, zero luck unfortunately.

When the public servants go of f#cking strike for yet another double digit increase can we go counter strike based on absolutely useless and a waste of money they are????

[keithbatkins]

Tried to send a letter...not a parcel, a letter, by airmail today to the UK. SAPO Bedfordview would not accept it. Reason.
..no planes are flying to the UK. Are they just making this up as they go along ?

[julian]

It might have to do with SA post office and SA airways and SAA isn't flying at the moment

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[paulnb]

Something good must be happening at the SA Post Office.

My FAL parts which I ordered from Belgium were shipped via the French postal service on 24 November, and from the tracking information arrived at JIMC on 29 November and were cleared on the same day - let me repeat that: the parcel sat one day at JIMC.

The parcel arrived at Tshwane Hub mail centre on 30 November, and the next day Wednesday 1 December I received an unexpected sms that they (Speed Service Couriers which is part of the post office) were going to deliver my parcel that day and I must please have R530 cash to pay the import VAT as they don't have a speedpoint machine. Which they duly delivered said parcel at lunch time on the Wednesday. So in this instance their service was quicker than Fedex which I prefer to use.

Usually I have to collect my parcels from the local post office branch.

[oafpatroll]

Something good must be happening at the SA Post Office.

My FAL parts which I ordered from Belgium were shipped via the French postal service on 24 November, and from the tracking information arrived at JIMC on 29 November and were cleared on the same day - let me repeat that: the parcel sat one day at JIMC.

The parcel arrived at Tshwane Hub mail centre on 30 November, and the next day Wednesday 1 December I received an unexpected sms that they (Speed Service Couriers which is part of the post office) were going to deliver my parcel that day and I must please have R530 cash to pay the import VAT as they don't have a speedpoint machine. Which they duly delivered said parcel at lunch time on the Wednesday. So in this instance their service was quicker than Fedex which I prefer to use.

Usually I have to collect my parcels from the local post office branch.

Glad, not to mention surprised, that you received such good service. I still wouldn't trust them to reliably deliver a shart after a savage hot bunny chow.