F.A.Q
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FAQs provide a quick and convenient way for users to access essential information without having to browse through lengthy documents or contact customer support. Users can find answers to common questions easily and at any time.
Frequently Ask Questions
CourierX stringently abides by the rules imposed upon it by the cargo industry in so far as it concerns dangerous and prohibited cargo. These rules exists for good reason, primarily due to the risks relating to health and safety associated with these products.
Note that any attempt to ship these goods can result in delays, surcharges, seizure and in some cases arrest of the sender. These rules imposed by the South African transport authority applies to all modes of transport, i.e.: Road Freight, Air Freight, Rail Freight and Sea Freight. Please feel free to contact us should you have any doubt as to whether your goods may be affected.
List of Prohibited Goods
- Animal fur products and Animal Pelts
- Animal organs and parts
- Banned animal products such Ivory, ivory products, Rhino horn.
- High Value products such as artworks, antiques, precious stones, including diamonds, gold, silver and platinum etc
- Cash or Foreign currency / Keys / Transferable securities such as share certificates / Payment
- Volatile, Dangerous and Hazardous Goods such fuel, Acids etc
- Fireworks or any item containing incendiary devices
- Fire extinguishers
- Volatile Fluids such as adhesives and paint, or fluids that can leak and contaminate other parcels
- Weapons such as Firearms, Swords, Knives etc
- Livestock and Live animals such as birds
- Perishable goods including plants, seeds, food etc
- Tobacco and tobacco products
- Medicines, Drugs and Alcohol and alcoholic products
- Pornographic material
In order to avoid unnecessary brushes with the law and in the best interest of our customers, CourierX will reject at source ANY and ALL items classed as DANGEROUS Goods. Please feel free to call us to discuss your options if you feel that you may be negatively impacted by these exclusions.
The following goods will not be transported nationally or internationally under any circumstances
- Corrosive Acids or Acids of any kind
- Aerosol cans such as spray paint / deodorants / cleaning products etc
- Any form of live ammunition
- Batteries be they lead acid or lithium
- Bleach Powder
- Corrosive products including bleach
- Chlorine and chlorine products
- Powerful detergents or cleaning products
- Dry Ice
- Explosives or materials containing any form of explosive material
- Fertilisers and their derivatives
- Fire lighters including Lighter fluids and gas lighters
- Fireworks
- Flammable materials
- Gas cylinders
- Grenades
- Any instruments or equipment containing Mercury such as thermometers
- Powerful Magnets and Magnetised materials
- Matches
- Paints
- Fertilisers
- Pesticides
- Poisons
- Radioactive materials
- Resins
- Thermometers
- Paint thinners
- DANGEROUS GOODS
Engines, engine parts, generators or any items containing oil weighing under 35 Kg must be packed securely with heavy foam padding and be contained within a sturdy cardboard or wooden box. Engines weighing in excess of 35 Kg should be contained within a sturdy wooden box designed specifically for the part.
Any oil MUST be drained from the part or engine as any leakage could damage or contaminate other parcels. The sender will be liable for Any damage to customers parcels caused by oil damage.
Furniture is to be disassembled, securely wrapped in bubble wrap and packaged flat in a suitable sturdy carboard or wooden container prior to transport.
The following products will not be shipped due to their propensity to break:
- Glass
- Ceramics
- Porcelain products
- Marble
- Resin
- Stone products
Electronics such as PC’s / Laptops / Flat Screen monitors / TV’s Projectors etc should ideally be packaged within their original packaging secured by layers of foam. Where this is not possible they should be firmly ensconced within layers of bubble wrap for protection. In order to minimise the risk of theft, these should then be placed within a strong, plain cardboard box such that there are no identifying marks or brands visible on the outside of the parcel.
Musical Instruments should be protected within their hard case and this can then be wrapped in layers of bubble wrap prior to being placed within a plain cardboard box ready for shipment.
Following these guidelines will ensure that your couriered parcel reaches you safely and intact.
In order to ensure that your parcel gets delivered to its destination, be sure to following the following guidelines on how to correctly label your parcel.
Besides your goods, the waybill is the most critical pieces of information to ensure that your parcel does not get lost in transit. It is thus important that it is completed correctly.
Be sure that the following information is clearly legible:
- Your name and surname
- Full Physical Address
- Your Postal Code
- Full Contact Details
- The number of items that constitute the shipment
- The gross weight of each packed box
- Read and Complete the waybill correctly
- The correct dimensions of every parcel (quoting the length, width and height of each box)
- The exact CourierX service that you require, e.g. air freight, overnight, same day express, international delivery etc.
- The waybill must be signed and dated
- Where multiple boxes are to be delivered to the same address, be sure to position the labelling in the same location in each box
- locate the If you have more than one box to be delivered to the same address, place the labelling in the same place on each box, this is especially important if all the boxes are identical.
- Finally, be sure not to position the label over the boxes seams as the seams could crack or deform the label making it illegible.
Fragile Items
Where fragile items are being sent, be sure to mark them clearly as such.
This can be done with either specifically marked “Fragile Tape” which can be obtained from your stationary store, placing “Fragile” stickers on as many sides as possible or clearly marking the parcel as “Fragile” with a thick permanent marker in Red or another prominent colour, thus ensuring that the message is clear when your parcel reaches our sorting department.
Reusing Old Boxes For Your Courier Parcel
Provided that your old box is sturdy and in a good condition, re-using old boxes is not a problem providing the following guidelines are followed:
All old labels, barcodes or identification information must be removed or they could cause confusion by our dispatchers, in our sorting rooms and delivery drivers
As a final precaution CourierX advises that the description of goods, full To and From contact details parcel weight and dimensions etc should be written on an A4 paper and placed within the package in case the external label becomes damaged or is lost during transit.
Feel free to contact us should you have any questions or require any additional information regarding how to package your cargo.
Suitable packaging material for your parcel to be couriered.
Despite the advent of automated package handling systems at central courier hubs, packages couriered around the country or indeed around the world are potentially handled by many people before they reach your address.
For this reason, it is advisable that you package your goods securely, thus improving the chances of your goods reaching their destination intact.
Heavy boxes run the risk of:
Be sure to use a strong, corrugated box, manufactured from ¼ A or 3/16 C flute corrugated cardboard material. The ¼ A flute corrugation material is strong, providing excellent cushioning, crushing and stacking strength and is ideal for packaging your goods to be couriered.
Heavy Parcels
Be sure to use a strong, corrugated box, manufactured from ¼ A or 3/16 C flute corrugated cardboard material. The ¼ A flute corrugation material is strong, providing excellent cushioning, crushing and stacking strength and is ideal for packaging your goods to be couriered.
3/16 C flute designs are a good second choice and being lighter, constitute around 80% of corrugated box packaging, however, we advise that your box be reinforced if it is expected to carry one or more heavy items.
Be sure to select the correct box size for your goods. Boxes should allow for ample space all around the 6 planes for a generous amount of packing, which can be crumpled newspaper, dense polystyrene beans or bubble wrap.
Ideally your goods should be bound tightly together, then wrapped with bubble wrap before this is then further protected by packing surround.
Ensure that your product is packed tightly such that it is not able to move around the box even if it is dropped for thrown around.
The use of courier services in South Africa has exploded since the demise of the South African Post Office, however, we sometimes find that clients don’t put enough thought into packaging their precious cargo.
An incorrectly packaged parcel or product can have implications on both the rate you are charged as well as our ability to safely deliver your parcel. For this reason, we offer the following guidelines to ensure the most cost effective and safe delivery of your precious goods:
Ensure that the cardboard box that you select is strong enough for the weight of your item/s.
Heavy boxes run the risk of:
- The bottom giving way and your goods falling out
- A small but deceptively heavy box could be easily dropped as the handler may underestimate the weight.
- A heavy box could be assigned to the bulk freight section of a vehicle which increases its risk of being damaged by heavy parcels around it.
Heavy Parcels
Heavy boxes run the risk of:
The bottom giving way and your goods falling out A small but deceptively heavy box could be easily dropped as the handler may underestimate the weight.
A heavy box could be assigned to the bulk freight section of a vehicle which increases its risk of being damaged by heavy parcels around it. It is best to clearly mark a heavy box with the word “HEAVY” on all six sides if possible. Heavy but Fragile goods would need to be clearly marked as such. See here for packaging fragile goods.
If possible, it is prudent to split heavy items into multiple boxes ensuring that all goods are adequately protected by packaging material. Following these packaging guidelines will ensure that your courier service delivers your parcel in one piece.
