The SA Post Office is blaming the poor state of its Fish Hoek branch on cash-flow problems.
In recent weeks, the Echo has received numerous complaints about the neglected look of the building and its gutters. Readers have expressed concern about public safety, and the gutters being asbestos.
SA Post Office spokeswoman Emma Tshatsinde said they were aware of the state of the building and the gutters would be replaced soon.
The gutters were asbestos and would be removed and disposed of in the prescribed manner, she said.
However, cash-flow problems had delayed the repairs.
“Due to the Covid-19 restrictions earlier in the year, the organisation has suffered serious cash-flow shortages.
During this time, the South African Post Office was only able to disburse the Sassa social grants and had no further income,” she said.
“Essential” maintenance would be done in the new year, she said, but she did not give a date.
Rudelle van der Merwe, from SafeNet Africa, an occupational health and safety company, said anyone wanting to dispose of asbestos products had to appoint a registered asbestos contractor to draw up an inventory of all the asbestos on site.
A plan on how the work would be done had to be submitted to the Department of Labour.
The registered contractor would monitor the removal work and carry out environmental monitoring.
Once removed, the asbestos would have to be disposed of at the hazardous-waste site in Vissershok, he said.
