Vagrants at post office ‘taking it too far’

GEORGE NEWS - Vagrants sleeping under the veranda of the George Post Office have been causing frustration among post office clients for several years, but they are taking it too far now, says an irate client, Martin Reimann.

"Now there are even fires made. It is getting worse with two to four people sleeping there. The stench of urine is nearly unbearable and we have to go there to get our mail out of the boxes. This is also a gruesome work every morning for the cleaner working for the post office."

Reimann proposes that the post office follows the example of Shamrock Place next door, where a water sprinkler system was installed which is activated at different times during the night.

This discourages unwelcome visitors from overnighting.

Comment from the Post Office
Post office spokesperson Emma Tshatsinde said the vangrants are continuously asked to leave the premises, but they always return after a short while. The post box area is locked on weekends and overnight due to this problem. Help from the police has been sought and they do assist, but due to manpower limitations their help has not been very recurrent, she said.

She said the properties section of the post office was approached with regard to the sprinkler system, but due to budgetary constraints, the George branch has encountered delays on the request.

"This is unfortunately a social ill that the Post Office does not have a permanent solution to currently. We will continue to engage with the SAPS to check on the situation each time they go on patrol in order to keep the premises safe."

Evidence of the nightly fires on the George Post Office veranda.