Couriers and Post Office Still in Court Over Parcels Under 1kg
The legal fight over who may deliver parcels under 1kg, running since 2018, continues in 2026 with Takealot, PostNet and couriers among the parties.
The long-running dispute over who may deliver parcels weighing less than 1kg in South Africa is still before the courts. In mid-2026 the chief executive of the South African Express Parcels Association (SAEPA) said litigation against the association and several courier operators was continuing, Freight News reported.
Who is involved
- The Post Office argues that the Postal Services Act reserves small parcels for it.
- SAEPA, PostNet and Takealot maintain that courier operators may also carry parcels under 1kg. Takealot joined the case years ago and amended its legal position in June 2025.
- Government issued a directive in December 2025 removing small parcels from the reserved services. The Post Office says it only takes effect once ICASA ratifies it.
What it means for shoppers
Couriers continue to deliver small parcels while the matter is unresolved. Whoever delivers, the parcel is routed by your postal code, so make sure the code matches the suburb on your order.