Lost property is held by the operator that ran the service, and usually only for a limited period. Reporting it quickly matters more than anything else you can do.
ContactDetails.co.za is an independent directory. We are not any of the companies listed here and cannot act on your behalf. Everything on this page is a routing aid so you reach the right official channel with the right information in hand.
Who actually handles this
The operator of the service you were on, and often a specific depot, station or terminal rather than a national number. Lost property is handled locally because that is where the item physically is.
What to do, in order
- Report it as soon as you notice, and be precise about the service: the date, the time, the route and the vehicle or carriage where you can.
- Describe the item in enough detail to identify it without seeing it, including anything inside it.
- Ask which depot, station or terminal holds found property for that route, because that is where it will be.
- Ask how long items are held. Retention periods are usually short.
- Get a reference number and follow it up rather than reporting again.
What to have ready before you make contact
- The date, time and route of the service.
- The seat, carriage or vehicle number if you have it.
- Your ticket or booking reference.
- A precise description of the item and its contents.
- Identification, since you will need to prove the item is yours to collect it.
Verified long-distance bus operator routes
Every route in this table was taken from the organisation’s own official contact page and checked on 21 August 2026. Contact details change, so confirm on the official site before relying on one for anything urgent.
| What it is for | Contact |
|---|---|
| Intercape 24 hour call centre and bookings | 021 380 4400 |
| Greyhound contact centre and bookings | 011 611 8000 |
| Citiliner contact centre and bookings | 011 611 8000 |
| Intercape queries and complaints email | [email protected] |
| Greyhound bookings email | [email protected] |
Who owns what when something goes wrong with a delivery or a journey
- The retailer, if you bought online, is who your contract is with. It owes you the goods, in the condition you paid for, at the address you gave. Which courier it chose is its arrangement, not your problem.
- The courier physically carries the parcel and is the party that can trace it. It works from the waybill number and generally caps its liability unless extra cover was bought.
- The operator, for a journey, runs the service and holds the booking, unless you booked through an agent, in which case the agent holds it and is usually the only party that can change it.
- A consumer body such as the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud takes unresolved consumer complaints, free of charge, once the supplier’s own process has been exhausted.
The most common dead end is being sent back and forth between a retailer and a courier. If you bought online, say plainly and in writing that your contract is with the retailer and that delivery is its obligation.
Common mistakes that cost time
- Waiting before reporting. Retention periods are short and the first hours matter most.
- Calling a national number when found property is held at a depot, station or terminal.
- Describing the item too vaguely to be identified among many similar ones.
- Paying anyone who contacts you claiming to have found it and asking for a fee.
The scam to watch for
Be careful with anyone who contacts you claiming to have found your property and asks for a fee. Payment requests to release a found item, especially to a personal account, are a common follow-up scam aimed at people who have publicly posted about losing something.
If it is not resolved
The Consumer Goods and Services Ombud handles unresolved consumer complaints against participating suppliers, free of charge to the consumer. It also expects you to have gone through the supplier’s own complaints process first.
Escalation works on evidence. Keep a short written log of every contact: the date, the channel you used, the name of the person you spoke to and the reference number you were given. Every formal complaints process asks for exactly that history, and having it ready is usually the difference between a fast resolution and starting over.
| What it is for | Contact |
|---|---|
| CGSO consumer complaints call centre | 0860 000 272 |
| CGSO WhatsApp | 081 335 3005 |
| CGSO general email | [email protected] |
Related contact pages
- Lost Property Transport Contact Details
- Transport
- Srd Contact Details
- Wellington Prison Mthatha Contact Details
- Nimble Group Contact Details
- Wced Contact Details
- Ccma Contact Details
- Limpopo University Contact Details
- How to verify a contact number before you use it
Frequently asked questions
How long is lost property kept?
It varies by operator and is usually short. Ask when you report it, because the answer sets your deadline.
Can someone collect on my behalf?
Generally only with your written authority and their own identification. Ask the operator what it requires before sending someone.
What if it was stolen rather than lost?
Report it to the police and get a case number. Insurers and operators both ask for one, and it is a different process from lost property.
The contact routes on this page were checked against each organisation’s official source on 21 August 2026. Where a detail has changed, the official source is always the authority.