THE ISSUE of licensing, which provoked vocal opposition when it was first mooted, has matured and found industry acceptance. The compliance registration is a simple procedure designed to legitimise the industry and ensure that all operators comply with a minimum set of regulations – and it applies not only to courier companies but all transport operators carrying items weighing less than 30kg. Registration requirements are not onerous, involving the payment of an annual fee of R500 and the submission of documents to the postal regulator, Icasa, that demonstrate the company’s legitimacy – company registration, tax clearance certificates and the like. “We insist that all Saepa members are registered with Icasa and we have a good relationship with them – they consult with us when they’re looking at legislative change and are very reasonable people,” Saepa's Gary Marshall told FTW. Despite initial claims by the chairman of Icasa that non-registered companies would be heavily fined or closed down, there has been little policing of the regulations. One of the primary motivations of the authorities is consumer protection, which Saepa fully supports, he added.
