89-Year-Old Pensioner Still Waiting After R1,000 ATM ***** — Absa, Please Escalate and Assist

I am raising this complaint regarding an elderly 89-year-old pensioner in Pretoria who has been left waiting for several weeks after an ATM-related ***** incident involving his Absa account.

The incident happened at or around an ATM. Whether his card was ******, switched, or he was ****med at the ATM, the result is clear: R1,000 was withdrawn from his account without his consent or benefit.

He immediately reported the matter, opened an Absa ***** complaint, blocked the compromised card, and obtained a replacement card. Despite this, he has still not received proper resolution. He has only received SMS updates while the matter remains unresolved.

For an 89-year-old pensioner, R1,000 is not a small amount. It can mean food, transport, medication, electricity, or basic survival. This is not a wealthy customer trying to exploit a system. This is a vulnerable elderly man who appears to have been targeted at an ATM and is now left carrying the loss while the bank’s process drags on.

I understand that Absa cannot simply refund every ***** claim without investigation. But banks also have discretion, compassion, *****-risk systems, ATM surveillance processes, and customer-care obligations — especially when the customer is elderly, vulnerable, and dependent on pension money.

The request is simple:

Absa must urgently escalate this complaint, review the ATM ***** evidence properly, contact the customer directly, and refund the R1,000 unless there is clear evidence that he personally authorised or benefited from the withdrawal.

This matter should not be treated as just another file in a queue. It concerns an 89-year-old pensioner who acted quickly, reported the *****, replaced his card, and has now been waiting weeks for help.

Absa, please do the right thing. Escalate this matter, resolve it urgently, and restore this pensioner’s money.