The South African Post Office (Sapo) says it has paid money that it owed to South African Airways (SAA) following the suspension of its account.

Acting Sapo GCEO Mlu Mathonsi has assured customers that rely on airmail services that the suspension didn’t have any discernible impact from a service delivery perspective due to the fact that it lasted for a couple of hours. The amount owed was paid on 1 April, effectively a few hours from the suspension.

“Additionally, SAA is not the only service provider for our airmail and services to our customers were never at risk,” Mathonsi said.

He said the delayed payment of the SAA account was linked to disagreements that the parties had relating to certain invoices dating back to November.

He said while they were ironing out their differences around the invoices and with time lapsing in the process, the same invoices were becoming due for payment, resulting in significant delays in the payment thereof. Based on this, the account was suspended.

“It is an irrefutable fact that we are facing an objectively negative financial position but are making progress in turning the situation around for the benefit of all our stakeholders especially those on whom we are dependent to be in business.

“We are exploring various options to honour our liabilities,” Mathonsi said.

He said the effects of last year’s long strike on the post office were far-reaching.

“Not only does the company have to deal with the direct costs of the strike but it also has to withstand the rough financial effects of lost market ground in many of its key revenue generating areas.

“We are now also slowly regaining lost ground, even though this is just the first step in the hard work that we still have to do to build a sustainable business,” Mathonsi said.