The South African Post Office has clarified confusion over its suspension of parcel services to the United States.
The agency said it will still deliver documents, letters and exempted mail — including military correspondence — despite halting the shipment of goods.
Earlier on Thursday, the Post Office shocked customers by announcing that all outbound parcels containing goods to the US were suspended with immediate effect.
But on Friday, it sought to reassure the public that vital channels remain open.
Both details were shared on X — via its official handle #SA Post Office — with more reports garnered from the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation on Friday.
“We wish to stress that letters, documents, and exempted categories such as military mail will continue to move to the United States.
“The suspension applies only to parcels containing goods, which cannot be dispatched under the new US regulations introduced on July 30, 2025,” the Post Office said in a statement.
The clampdown follows sweeping trade changes by President Donald Trump’s administration, which removed the duty-free allowance of up to $800 on incoming parcels.
“Until a new system is in place to manage compliance with these regulations, parcels cannot be dispatched,” the Post Office explained.
It added that items already lodged at its Germiston international mail centre but falling foul of the new rules will be returned to senders.
The back-and-forth has left exporters, online retailers and individuals confused, SABC reports.
Meanwhile, the trade storm in Washington deepened after a US appeals court ruled that most of Trump’s tariffs are illegal.
The administration has already vowed to appeal.
For now, South Africans can still send letters and documents across the Atlantic, but the flow of goods remains stuck in legal and logistical limbo.
