E-hailing companies are replacing the South African Post Office (SAPO) with on-demand parcel delivery services, offering South Africans an alternative to the struggling state entity.
One of South Africa’s biggest e-hailing services, Bolt, saw activity on Bolt Send, its on-demand delivery service, nearly double in the first seven months of 2026.
It said that use of the service increased by 97% year-to-date as South Africans turn to private companies for their courier needs while the Post Office deals with operational issues.
Bolt Send usage across 16 cities in South Africa found that home deliveries accounted for around 40% of trips with a known destination, followed by recreation venues at 13%, and shops and grocery stores at 11%.
Johannesburg users used the service more than any other city, recording activity over 600% higher than in Durban, while Cape Town activity increased by 17% between January and July 2026.
Bolt noted that customers are using the service to collect items, as well as send them, with nearly four in ten (39%) orders placed by customers arranging for an item to be collected and brought to them.
It added that South African businesses are also adopting Bolt Send as a courier service, making nearly 98,000 deliveries between January and July 2026.
Business deliveries included car parts moved between dealerships and small parcels sent between restaurants and offices, with businesses selling through social media benefiting in particular.
According to Simo Kalajdzic, head of external affairs for Bolt South Africa, the service allows businesses and private users to reduce the time spent on errands.
“For someone managing a busy day, or a business where every pair of hands matters, that can mean putting other responsibilities on hold,” he said.
“Whether it is collecting something they have left behind or sending a parcel to a customer, the service helps make everyday tasks more manageable.”
Other e-hailing companies operating in South Africa have also launched delivery and courier services, including Uber, which launched Uber Courier, and local service Wanatu, which also offers parcel delivery service.
SAPO needs AARTO to keep its doors open
With courier services eating its lunch, the Post Office will soon rely heavily on the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act to generate revenue after confirming that it will distribute notices.
“As South Africa’s designated postal operator under the Universal Postal Union framework, SAPO will provide the electronic distribution of legally served AARTO notices,” it said.
“Using electronic communication channels, including SMS and email, motorists will receive secure, legally served notices with improved speed, efficiency, and traceability.”
The Post Office also announced that it will collect fines under the newly introduced act, which will become a critical revenue source for the entity.
Business Rescue Practitioners Anoosh Rooplal and Juanito Damons noted that several attempts have been made to stop AARTO implementation, which they confirmed is a revenue-generating project for SAPO.
Rooplal and Damons said the first application against AARTO, brought by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), was defended with costs.
SALGA expressed its concerns regarding the new traffic infringement system’s funding model and noted that many municipalities were already operating in a financially constrained environment.
However, after successfully defending the Act, another challenge was launched, leaving business rescue practitioners concerned that the traffic law regime is facing another wave of legal action.
“SAPO has since been advised that there is a new application filed by other parties. We are still awaiting papers from the Department of Transport,” the Business Rescue Practitioners said.
They explained that the Post Office must defend these exclusive rights as its revenue projections depend on these projects.
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