Communications and digital technologies minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has rubbished an offer by former SA Post Office (Sapo) CEO Mark Barnes to buy a controlling stake in the struggling parastatal facing collapse.

“Mr Mark Barnes was given R3.5bn [to turn Sapo around]. As I have indicated, Sapo is now only looking for R1.6bn [government bailout]. He [Barnes] did not turn around Sapo, and it’s very rich for him to say he wants to buy Sapo,” Ntshavheni said in a parliamentary question-and-answer session on Wednesday...