PRETORIA - The South African Post Office (SAPO) has announced the immediate suspension of all outbound parcel services to the United States, citing new customs regulations introduced by the US government.
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The decision follows an Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump on 30 July 2025, which eliminates the duty-free threshold of USD 800 for international parcels entering the US.
As a result, postal operators worldwide are now required to collect and remit US customs duties before dispatching any goods.
SAPO joins a list of international postal services that have temporarily halted shipments to the US while new compliance systems are developed.
More than 25 countries have paused shipments due to the new rules.
“This regulation requires complex new processes,” said Anoosh Rooplal, Joint Business Rescue Practitioner for SAPO. “Until we have the systems in place to meet these requirements, we have no choice but to suspend outbound parcel deliveries.”
The suspension applies to all parcels and packages containing goods destined for the United States. Documents, letters, and exempt mail categories, including military mail, will continue to be processed as normal.
Parcels already received at SAPO’s Germiston International Mail Centre that cannot be cleared under the new rules will be returned to senders.
The SA Post Office temporarily suspends all parcel services to USA due to US government regulations.
— SA Post Office (@PostofficeSa) August 29, 2025