Example address
Camille DUPONT
POSTE RESTANTE
NAME OF THE POST OFFICE
Postcode (4 digits)
SOUTH AFRICA
Greyed out: replace with your own details. Write the rest exactly as shown.
Holding period, cost and tips
Held for
2 months at most (temporary service)
Cost
Free
ID document
Unconfirmed
The SAPO 2026/2027 tariff states that poste restante (temporary, two months at most) remains free of charge, and that a poste restante number can still be obtained free of charge.
- Only official source found: SAPO's 2026/2027 postal tariff (PDF), which gives no details on the address to write, the ID requirement or parcels. The address lines above follow the UPU addressing rule (office name, then postcode): the exact placement of the "poste restante number" is not specified.
- It is unclear whether the "two months" refers to how long you can use the service or how long each item is held: to be confirmed at the counter of the chosen office.
- In South Africa, the dominant use remains the PO box (R695 per year) or the Private Bag (R2,760 per year, mainly for organisations), according to the same 2026 tariff.
- Pick a specific office and ask whether it offers the service before sending anything.
This entry is to be confirmed: at least one key piece of information could not be verified on an official page. Call the country's post office before sending anything important.