ZICTA warns illegal postal, courier operators

By BUSINESS REPORTER BUS operators and transporters should refrain from transporting postal parcels without licences, says Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) director general Patrick Mutimushi.

Mutimushi said ZICTA had observed that some bus operators and transporters in Zambia were illegally transporting post- al parcels without licences.

Mr Mutimushi said this in a notice obtained by Daily Nation in Lusaka.

He said any entity conducting postal and courier services without a licence from ZICTA was in violation of the Postal Services Act.

“Under Postal Services Act No. 22 of 2009 sub-section 64, a postal or courier service operator who fails to produce a licence for inspection when required to do so under this act, commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding sixty thousand penalty units or to imprisonment not exceeding six months, or to both,” he explained.

Mr Mutimushi said ZICTA would therefore undertake enforcement action, which among others, included confiscating parcels and prosecuting offenders.

“To this effect, ZICTA is notifying all businesses, bus operators and transporters illegally conducting postal and courier services to regularise their business operations by applying for a postal and courier licence from ZICTA by Friday, May 4, 2018.

“Consumers are therefore, advised to desist from dealing with illegal postal and courier operators, and are further informed that any damage or loss occurred while dealing with illegal operators will be at their own risk,” said Mr Mutimushi.