Botswana Post, on Tuesday, held a ground breaking ceremony and hand over of mail delivery fleet at their new offices.
Festina Shale Bakwena, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, officiated at the function.
The new International Office of Exchange will be offering services that are expected from any national post office, like street delivery of mail and other services that allow for economic efficiency, such as automation of mail processing.
Bakwena started the ceremony by alerting all present that the Post Office plays a vital role in people’s daily lives as it provides the basic link that connects Botswana’s population with the rest of the world.
“It is through the Post Office that we write and receive letters and communicate with our families and loved ones, therefore these services can never be taken for granted for they nurture the fabric of society,” she said.
Bakwena said that apart from serving communities, it is essential to recognise that the Post Office is an important medium for business and commerce and, therefore, should keep pace with contemporary developments, especially the rapidly changing Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Bakwena said due to the new reality of ICT, it is critical that the Post Office moves beyond what is traditionally regarded as its core business, namely: Letter and Parcel mail.
“It is an absolute necessity that it should keep pace with contemporary developments, especially the rapidly changing Information and Communications Technology,” she said.
She mentioned the current situation that Botswana Post is engaged in to deliver mail to its customers.
“Botswana Post is currently using big trucks to deliver mail both locally and regionally, therefore, the location of this facility in the city centre was not conducive,” said Bakwena.
It has now transformed to a new mail delivery fleet of 57 cars, from the old vehicles it had been using to deliver mail. The fleet consists of private cars, vans with canopies and mini combis.
Botswana Post Operations Manager, Thapelo Kalake, said the current vehicles they have been using requires service every month and that they travel 20km per month and the least they travel is 10km per month.
“I am confident to say we will offer a great basket of postal services and this is initial steps to taking Botswana post globally,” said Kalake.
Bakwena said that by embarking on the two multi-million Pula projects, it is a clear testimony that BotswanaPost is committed to serving the nation by improving its processes and modernising by increasing the mail delivery fleet.
“The fleet I will soon be officially handling over to BotswanaPost will ensure that the delivery becomes expedited and efficiency will be attained by all means, “she said.
When these operations are under one roof, there will be benefits such as improved operational security, improved process flow and increased ability for continuous system improvement.
“Once the facility is complete, within eight months, BotswanaPost will have the capacity to process over 50,000 letters and parcels per day, thus providing business and government with assurance of a faster and more efficient postal network,” she said.
Botswana Post Chairman, Martin Makgatlhe, expressed gratitude to the ministry. “I am grateful to thank the ministry for the funds they provided, and we are looking forward for more funds as we have more projects to complete,” he said.
Makgatlhe also appreciated the good work done by the board of directors, who were the thrust behind the whole project to reach its completion.
“I am confident to say to our customers that your cries have been attended to; we have been listening with both ears and, therefore, I stand to say the project will be achieved in 8 months under budget,” he added. “We no longer say we will deliver but rather we deliver, whatever wherever.”
