What was meant to be a simple inter-provincial delivery of stationery worth more than R30,000 has turned into months of frustration for a business-person after a courier company allegedly lost his R10,500 package.
Wilson Mokhua, owner of Blue Rain Traders, a North West-based company which has been supplying stationery for about 12 years, has been having a tough time trying to claim a R10,500 he lost in stationery when he used The Courier Guy to transport 19 boxes of bulk stationery from Johannesburg to his government client in Bloemfontein in January this year.
The entire stock was worth R33,000 and it would cost him around R900 to deliver it at the doorstep of his client, Mokhua told Sowetan Consumer last week.
He claims his client received 18 boxes with one missing, which had items such as computer keyboards, staplers, surge protectors and multi-plugs, among other things.
“I immediately received a call from my client about the stationery that was missing in their order. Our investigation showed that the problem was at the Johannesburg depot as only 18 boxes arrived at the courier’s Bloemfontein office. My clients paid for the batch they received and I used some of that money to replace the missing stationery,” said Mokhua.
He added that this inconvenience had longer financial implications to his business. “I had cash-flow issues and I had to use my personal credit card to pay for other business needs over the next few months.
“We all know that when it comes to credit cards one has to pay interest and this has financial implications in the long run. My business has not fully recovered because of this inconvenience,” said Mokhua.
He lodged a formal complaint with the courier company in February and provided the necessary documents they required, which included the invoice for the stock he bought. However, he claims that the company dragged its feet to pay him despite several emails he sent following up on his compliant.
“I was running out of patience and I started to realise that they had given up looking for my package. I then escalated my complaint with Icasa (Independent Communications Authority of SA) for their attention as they are the regulatory body for postal services,” added Mokhua.
Icasa investigated the matter and their finding was that Mokhua should have insured his parcels because they were high-risk based on their total value.
“Take note that TCG (The Courier Guy) has a clear set of terms and conditions, as well as policies and procedures, which needs to be accepted and followed by each and every client, prior to TCG attending to any collection and/or delivery of a consignment, and as such he (Mokhua) had to have signed the terms and conditions and accept same prior to any transportation of his consignments.
“It is important to note that ignorance is not a defence in any matter, and as such, the reasonable person test would have to be applied, being, would the reasonable person transport consignments with such an enormous value attached to it without ensuring that same is either insured through the option provided by TCG, alternatively through his own insurers, and secondly, would the reasonable person proceed in its transport request, knowing that it has not attended to the necessary insurance?
“The reasonable person would have turned to the terms and conditions and ensured that same is understood and noted what the insurance clauses entail,” read the email from Icasa earlier this month.
Mokhua said he appealed the matter and said he was never offered any insurance before by the company. He is still waiting for the response to his appeal.
Marno Kruger, from the courier’s legal department, refuted claims that they dragged their feet to address the matter and refused Sowetan Consumer’s request to be given their response to Mokhua.
“Mr Mokhua has to attend to Icasa and communicate with them regarding this complaint as they are acting on his behalf. Unfortunately, TCG cannot forward you same for obvious reasons. This matter is being attended to through the proper channels (Icasa),” said Kruger.
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