Phoenix residents are calling on the police, private security companies and local councillors to intervene in the “blatant abuse, intimidation and harassment on customers and grant recipients” allegedly perpetrated by pharas (vagrants) outside the Phoenix Post Office.
According to residents, the intimidation occurs daily and has become the order of the day with some of the post office customers being physically attacked by the pharas who allegedly control the queues. Speaking to The Phoenix Tabloid, Dan Singh, 43, who collects the social relief of distress grant, said the abuse from pharas in the vicinity of the Phoenix Plaza is getting out of control and needs to be addressed urgently. “This pathetic behaviour is unacceptable and needs to be stopped immediately. We are tired of being intimidated or assaulted because we refuse to be pushed to the back of the line. It’s unfair that we are here bright and early only to be moved to the back of the queue because these pharas are helping people to skip the queue at a fee.”
Singh said a few days ago he had been standing outside the post office from as early as 4.30am and had yet to be assisted by 1pm. “I was one of the first few people to arrive and stand in the queue, around 8am and had moved to the middle of the queue because people were being placed in front of us by pharas who are managing the queues outside the post office. When I brought this up with the security guard, he just looked at me, didn’t utter a single word and turned away. When we try to stop them, they flash their knives at us, to stop us from standing up for ourselves. We really don’t know where to turn to anymore because everyone is aware of what’s happening but nobody is doing anything about it,” said Singh.
Another resident, Jay Sahadew, who went to the post office recently said it was sad to witness the abuse on the elderly by the ruthless pharas. He said the Phoenix Post Office has become like a ‘mafia’ set up with pharas running the place. “They are making lots of money, at the expense of the elderly who are being harassed, intimidated and pushed to the back of the queue throughout the day. What’s even more worrying is that the security guard at the post office that’s meant to ensure law and order as we stand in these queues, is fully aware of what’s happening but chooses to turn a blind eye. I wouldn’t be surprised if they share the profits with these pharas. When we raise the issue with the management, at the post office, we are told that they cannot do anything about it since it’s happening outside of their premises. We have exhausted all avenues in attempts to stop this continuous abuse. The Phoenix Post Office must take the initiative to be more proactive and introduce a ticket system to prevent this. Daily patrols by the police and security companies in the vicinity would also assist in curbing the problem,” added Sahadew. The chairperson of the Phoenix Community Policing Forum, Umesh Singh, said the organistions is fully aware of the situation. He said: “The situation at the Phoenix Post Office has been discussed with the Phoenix SAPS and we are looking for ways to resolve the matter at hand. The CPF monitors the area whenever we receive complaints and we hope that security companies attend to the matter as well. We are giving out a stern warning to the culprits who are inciting these issues, as legal action can and will be taken against them.”
The spokesperson for the SA Post Office, Johan Kruger, said: “Regional management will make sure that security guards do queue management where possible, bearing in mind that the SA Post Office and its employees does not have jurisdiction over members of the public outside their premises. Attempts to sell positions in a queue amount to attempted bribery and extortion, the best option is for members of the public to obtain evidence and then lay a charge at their local police station. The person who requests a bribe and the person who pays a bribe both make themselves guilty of corruption.” Anyone with information about postal crimes is requested to call the Post Office’s toll-free crime buster hotline on 080-002-0070.”
