# South African Post Office Tracking API & MCP

URL: https://docs.lastscanned.com/carriers/sapo

Query live **South African Post Office** (`sapo`) package status and scan history in a single synchronous `GET` request or MCP tool call. `lastscanned` auto-detects S10 numbers ending `ZA`. SAPO's tracker also follows S10 numbers from other posts that deliver in South Africa; pass `?carrier=sapo` for those.

## Overview & Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| **Carrier slug (`?carrier=`)** | `sapo` |
| **Brand aliases** | South African Post Office, SAPO, SA Post Office, Post Office ZA |
| **Category** | National post (South Africa) |
| **Single-package REST endpoint** | `GET https://api.lastscanned.com/v1/track/{trackingNumber}` |
| **Batch REST endpoint** | `GET https://api.lastscanned.com/v1/track?numbers=RD987654326ZA,...` |
| **MCP server (`https://mcp.lastscanned.com`)** | `track_package`, `track_packages`, `list_carriers` |
| **Authentication & pricing** | `Authorization: Bearer lsk_live_...` · 1 free keyless lookup/day per IP |

## Tracking Number Formats & Auto-Detection

| Pass | Rule / Regex | Check Digit | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Pass 1 (`matches`)** | Valid UPU S10 number ending `ZA` (check digit verified) | mod-11 (S10) | `RD987654326ZA` |
| **Pass 2 (`mayMatch`)** | none | none | none |

## Synchronous `GET` Request & Normalized JSON Response

```bash
curl -s "https://api.lastscanned.com/v1/track/RD987654326ZA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LASTSCANNED_API_KEY"
```

```json
{
  "carrier": "sapo",
  "trackingNumber": "RD987654326ZA",
  "status": "in_transit",
  "statusDescription": "Outgoing International",
  "service": null,
  "deliveredAt": null,
  "deliveredAtLocal": null,
  "signedBy": null,
  "destination": null,
  "events": [
    {
      "timestamp": "2026-02-10T09:52:00Z",
      "localTime": "2026-02-10T11:52:00",
      "status": "in_transit",
      "description": "Outgoing International",
      "location": "JIMC D SUR, ECON, SAL PARCELS",
      "code": null
    },
    {
      "timestamp": "2026-02-09T09:04:00Z",
      "localTime": "2026-02-09T11:04:00",
      "status": "in_transit",
      "description": "Receive item from customer (Otb)",
      "location": "JOHANNESBURG",
      "code": null
    }
  ]
}
```

## Notes

- **Time zone**: scans are South African time (`Africa/Johannesburg`, UTC+2, no daylight saving).
- **Foreign numbers**: the tracker accepts any origin's S10 number; the scans are the ones the South African Post Office recorded.

## Related Resources

- **Regex & check digits**: [Tracking number formats & auto-detection](/formats)