MOSSEL BAY NEWS - If the Mossel Bay municipal manager has his way, the community of KwaNonqaba will have a post office in the Thusong Centre.
Municipal manager Advocate Thys Giliomee recently met representatives of the South African Post Office and expressed the need for a proper post office with all the services to be set up - ideally at the Thusong Centre - in KwaNonqaba.
"People of KwaNonqaba have to pay for transport over and above the services they need from the SA Post Office. KwaNonqaba is the most densely populated area in the greater Mossel Bay area.
"The residents of KwaNonqaba are entitled to better services from all government agencies, including the Post Office," Adv Giliomee said.
The Post Office area manager, Dean Stephens, and local post office manager Frank Dayizana, met the municipal manager to discuss several issues, among which was the migration from analogue to digital television, as well as the role the Post Office will play in future in the distribution of government grants.
Once finality on the social grants payment issue is reached, more information will follow.
Digital television
South Africa intends to switch over from analogue television broadcasting to digital by December.
This will mean that old television sets will have to use a decoder, known as Set Top Box, aerials and dishes to be able to still receive signals. Beneficiaries will not be able to watch television if a Set Top Box is not connected.
The South African Post Office (SAPO) was contracted by the government to distribute these Set Top Boxes free of charge to qualifying beneficiaries. In the Western Cape, Stephens said, the aim was to conclude this process by the end of June.
Qualify
Only South African citizens with a functional television, access to a cellular phone and a valid Identification Document, whose household earns less than R3 200 per month, will qualify for free Set Top Boxes.
The television does not have to be licensed with the SABC. Beneficiaries may complete an affidavit at the Post Office if they cannot provide proof of address, income or proof of a functional TV.
Even people in separate rooms on the same plot or in rented out portions of premises or people living in old age homes, will qualify for the free Set Top Boxes provided they meet the other qualifying criteria.
Using the Set Top Box will not result in any monthly charges.
People who do not meet the income requirements will have to use other digital suppliers such as Open View, M-Net
or MultiChoice DSTV once the analogue signal is discontinued to receive a television signal.
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