PICS: Durban woman receives ‘missing’ parcel from Post Office almost 13 years later, and here’s what was in it

A Durban woman was shocked to find this box waiting for her at her local Post Office, 13 years after it went missing. Picture: Supplied

A Durban woman was shocked to find this box waiting for her at her local Post Office, 13 years after it went missing. Picture: Supplied

Published Jun 12, 2023

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Durban - A Durban woman got the shock of her life when a parcel she was expecting 13 years ago via the South African Post Office finally arrived last week.

Sanja Hanekom, a stay at home mom from Kloof, said she had received two notices in her post box; one of them a final notice to collect a parcel from the local post office.

She said the document stated that she needed to pay R65 for the parcel to be released.

Hanekom said she and her husband were not expecting any parcels and were confused.

“Anyway, we rushed out to rescue the parcel, mostly because we wanted to see what all this is about.

Sanja Hanekom plans on making use of the teapot. Picture: Supplied

“On our way to the Post Office, the conspiracy theories were in full swing. My hubby’s darkest predictions and mine hoping the parcel may contain stacks of bank notes,” joked Hanekom.

“As we entered the vacant post office, we approached the postal office teller and handed in the printed pages promptly. We stood there mesmerised in bemusement while she dragged out a huge, heavy, battered up, and excessively taped up parcel, which she handed to us over the counter. There it is. We looked at each other in disbelief. “Can you tell us who sent the parcel? “. She mumbled something inaudible. I pointed to the parcel. The originating postal stamp clearly stated in red 2010.”

The pair of sneakers in perfect condition. Picture: Supplied

Hanekom said the parcel was actually a gift that her father had sent her from New York in 2010.

“It was the same year I had given birth to my daughter.”

Inside the box was a tea pot, which was in perfect condition, a pair of sneakers, a broken strainer cup, boxes of tea, and a bunch of interior design magazines.

“There was also two congratulation cards for the birth of my daughter inside the packet from my relatives.”

Hanekom said she immediately sent the photo to her dad on WhatsApp, who replied: That's the parcel that went missing!

She planned on keeping the box as a memento and maybe trying out the tea next week.

Making light of the situation, Hanekom joked on Facebook: “Dear South Africans, do not worry. The South African Postal Office will take good care of your parcel and deliver it to you in due time, that is, if you are still alive and have not moved to another address.”

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