SAPO Fourways operates in darkness

Chris emails from Joburg:

“Hi guys, thanks for the great site and your persistence in spreading the word of liberty.

I was just in the Fourways branch of the South African Post Office, for my sin of taking the Speed Services delivery option for books bought from Kalahari.net. (Ron Paul – Liberty Defined, and Sally Fallon – Nourishing Traditions if you must know..)

Approaching the post office by foot at 10.30am this morning, which sits in a mall, next to a coffee shop, opposite a chemist, and by the entrance of a Checkers supermarket, when I first caught sight of it, I thought it was closed.  The place was just about pitch-dark inside, like the lights were out. I continued my approach and to my surprise, the post office was open and the lights were switched on, but just a few of them worked!

Waiting for the teller to collect my parcel, I counted those ceiling lights that worked.  Behind the teller counter (and the half an inch thick security glass panel – which makes the distinction between us private citizens competing for an income and those stealing it from us just so crystal clear) only 3 out 7 ceiling lights worked, 43%.  On my side of the counter, 3 out of 10 lights worked, a fourth flickered, 30%. These government employees wore working in darkness, and there is no profit/loss incentive that would get them to sort it out.

Turned toward people in the queue as I was counting, an elderly man picked up what I was up to.  I said to him: “That’s 3/10 there and 3/7 there, less than half the lights in here work..” and shook my head in disappointment at the wastage of my tax monies.

He responds by also shaking his side and animatedly moving his mouth, without actually saying it, “This Is Africa.  T.I.A.”

I was waiting for a response like this, knowing the majority of people have their blinkers on, and said “No, no, look there… the chemists lights are on, and so are Checkers’…it isn’t Africa that’s the problem…it’s the government…gauranteed the lights at DHL and Postnet are working.”

A flickering of the eyes followed from a few people in the queue and no more communication followed.  My parcel had arrived.  I had said enough to promote freedom.  At least my books didn’t fall victim to that 60% inefficiency rate.  And man, am I going to enjoy them.”