By Simson Shimakeleni
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) is mandated to regulate the Postal Services by the Communications Act (No. 8 of 2009). CRAN passed the Regulations Prescribing Licence Categories and Licensing Procedures for Postal Service Licensees in Government Gazette No. 7072, General Notice 506, dated 02 December 2019,in accordance with the Communications Act, (Licensing Regulations for the Postal Sector). The Licensing Regulations for the Postal Sector set out the Postal Licence Categories and the Licensing Procedures for Postal Service Providers.
Additionally, CRAN is further mandated to safeguard consumers under Section 79 of the Communications Act. As every other sub-sector regulated by CRAN, all telecommunications, broadcasting and postal service providers are required to maintain the minimum Quality of Service (QoS) standards in accordance with the requirements contained in the Regulations Prescribing Quality of Service Standards Applicable to Service Licensees, 2015 (QoS Regulations).
The Consumer Complaints Procedure for the Postal Sector
Adjudication of Postal Complaints
· The duty to process complaints in CRAN resides with the Complaints and Enforcement Unit of the Regulatory and Corporate Legal Services Department.
· Upon receipt of a complaint, the unit in charge ensures that the complaint is acknowledged within 3 days.
· The processing of the complaint is then carried out to allow for all parties involved to provide arguments and counter arguments on the matter.
· The Complaints and Enforcement Unit then prepares a decision paper for the Regulatory Affairs Committee.
· The decision of the Regulatory Affairs Committee is then communicated to the parties involved.
What is to be complained about?
Any person (natural or juristic) is entitled to lodge a complaint against a postal service provider about the following:
· Lost mail:When mail or parcels are lost.
· Delayed Mail:When mail or parcels do not arrive on time.
· Opened Mail: If mail or parcels have been opened.
· Service and Product Delivery: If consumers are dissatisfied with the way services and products are delivered.
· Complaint Handling Process:If consumers are dissatisfied with the way their complaints have been handled by the postal service, such as delayed responses, lack of resolution, or poor communication.
· Customer Service Issues:Issues related to rude or unhelpful staff, long wait times, compensation issue related to losses and theft of postal items while in the licensee’s care or difficulty contacting customer support.
· Quality of Service:In terms of timely delivery, proper handling of mail and packages, and appropriate customer support.
· Confidential Information:If you have concerns about the security of your personal information or if you suspect the use of your personal information for non-official use.
When to Complain to CRAN
You can complain to CRAN when you have submitted a complaint to the postal service provider and such complaint is not resolved after 14 days or you are not satisfied with the way the complaint was handled by the postal service provider.
How to Complain
A written complaint stating the cause of complaint, the relief sought by the consumer and accompanied with evidence for ease of reference must be completed on the prescribed form, available from the CRAN offices at Courtside Building, 3rd and 4th Floor, c/o Fidel Castro & Rev. Michael Scott Street, Windhoek or on the website https://www.cran.na/consumer-forms/.
Where to Complain
Complaints may be delivered to CRAN by hand at Courtside Building, 3rd and 4th Floor, c/o Fidel Castro & Rev. Michael Scott Street, Windhoek, via email to ael@cran.na or on the website https://www.cran.na/consumer-forms/.
Postal Service Providers in Namibia
In Namibia, only Namibia Post Limited (NamPost) is currently registered as a postal service licensee. NamPost was awarded a Designated Postal Operator Licence on 19 August 2020 subject to the provisions of the Communications Act, and the Licensing Regulations for the Postal Sector. Consequently, CRAN can at present only accept consumer complaints lodged against NamPost.
Simson Shimakeleni is Legal Advisor: Complaints & Enforcement at the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN)