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Natasha Chamba, Business Reporter
THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has announced that post offices dotted around the country will be transformed to offer e-commerce and e-government services.
Electronic (e) government/commerce refers to the use of information and communication technologies to improve the activities of public sector organisations as well as buying and selling of goods or services using the internet.
The latest development is likely to bring relief to the greater population that lives in marginalised areas, who are forced to travel to towns and cities to secure official documents such as birth certificates.
Potraz said the broader move by Government to accelerate the e-Government and e-Commerce projects will ensure that post offices across the country remain relevant to consumers’ constantly changing needs.
“Potraz in partnership with Government’s designated postal operator, Zimpost, is working on a model post office project, where post offices will be transformed to offer e-Government and e-Commerce services all under one roof,” Potraz said.
“Instead of incurring transport costs to the Registrar General’s office, communities will, under the project, be able to apply for passports, birth and death certificates as well as access other Government services at postal outlets.”
Potraz said ordinary mail volumes were decreasing significantly annually hence postal services should reinvent themselves and become multi faceted delivery and information companies tailored to the virtual world.
It said postal services in the country were already evolving from the traditional mailing business system to a more robust business model based on e-commerce, leveraging on the wide geographical spread of the postal network.
Over the years Zimpost has come up with a variety of value added products and services to meet ever changing consumer needs such as financial services.
The various value added products and services include Zimpost mall, Post Insurance, Post life funeral cash plan and communication information centres among other facilities.
— @queentauruszw
derick.khumalo