Letter from the Minister of Communications dated 9 November

2004 to the Speaker of the National Assembly, in terms of section

65(2)(a) of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No 1 of

1999), explaining the delay in the tabling of the Annual Reports of

South African Post Office Limited for 2002-2003 and 2003-2004:

Dear Madam Speaker

I hereby table the annual reports of the South African Post Office for

the financial years 2002/03 and 2003/04 in terms of section 65 of the

Public Finance Management Act of 1999.

The delayed submission of the 2002/03 Annual Report was initially

due to the entity’s inability to finalise the statements on time due to the

unresolved issues around SAPO’s recapitilisation. However, these

statements were further delayed due to concerns raised by SCOPAand

the Auditor General on the same statements. These issues had to be

addressed by the entity before the release of the reports. The annual

report in respect of the 2003/04 financial year has been delayed due to

the factual misrepresentation that was picked up in the report.

Kind regards,

signed

MINISTER