The South African Post Office (SAPO) has announced the immediate suspension of all outbound parcel deliveries containing goods to the United States, citing a shift in US customs regulations under the Donald Trump administration.
The move comes after the US revoked duty-free allowances for international parcels valued under $800 (approximately R14 200), effective 30 July 2025.
The change now requires postal operators globally to pre-pay US duties on behalf of customers before shipments can enter the country.
Parcels Halted, Letters Still Accepted
SAPO confirmed that the suspension only affects parcels containing goods destined for the US Services for letters, documents, and exempt mail classes (e.g. military mail) remain operational.
All qualifying parcels already received at the Germiston International Mail Centre that cannot be processed under the new requirements will be returned to sender.
“Until a new system is in place to manage this process, parcels cannot be dispatched,” SAPO said in a statement.
Previously, items under $800 sent to the US were exempt from customs duties, facilitating smoother e-commerce and personal shipments.
However, the new policy imposes advance duty payments, a significant logistical and financial burden for foreign postal services.
“Given the complex processes required to comply with the new regulation, we have no choice but to temporarily suspend these shipments,” said Anoosh Rooplal, SAPO’s joint business rescue practitioner.
Customer Impact
This development is expected to affect:
- Small businesses and e-commerce sellers exporting to US customers
- Individuals sending gifts or personal goods to family or friends abroad
- Importers in the US awaiting goods from South Africa
SAPO has not provided a timeline for when the service will resume, stating only that a new system needs to be developed to comply with the US customs process.
SAPO has urged customers to contact local branches for further assistance or updates regarding affected shipments.
This marks yet another challenge for the state-owned postal service, which is currently undergoing business rescue proceedings in a bid to restructure and stabilise operations.
For now: Send letters, not parcels – if your destination is the United States.
How often – if ever – do you send parcels to the United States?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
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