ABSA Bank Incompetence with Personal Accounts of long term clients

My husband was declared deceased at ABSA Bank, and all his accounts were frozen during March 2022. My husband is NOT deceased. ABSA Ben Swart Street, took a week of my husband attending the branch EVERY DAY, to rectify his Cheque Account, that his debit orders will go off during the 31st of March 2022 and 1st of April 2022. His overdraft facility was cancelled by ABSA Bank and the Branch informed him that he should then re-apply for this facility, should he want it. We paid the overdraft in full immediately. His Credit Card was also cancelled, but we were informed that he should also re-apply for this facility, but that we can proceed to make the monthly payments as usual.

A week later, surprize, my husbands accounts have been frozen again, again because his account is AGAIN a deceased estate. My husband is still very much alive! At least it only took the ABSA Bank Ben Swart 4 days, with daily visits to activate my husband’s cheque account again. This time however, they told us that his Credit Card Account has been handed over to Attorneys because he paid less than the monthly payments for more than 6 months. This is a blatant lie, as I have paid more than the monthly amount due, on all the statements that I have that have been emailed to me, for the last six months. However, we paid what we believe to be the full amount on the Credit Card. But ABSA Ben Swart can’t help is in any way as this is account has been “handed over”.

There is no apology, no explanation, the Enquiries Manager just keeps telling us that she doesn’t know what happened and keeps saying that they have fixed the issue. They do not want to provide any written proof of any of the above. We have spent more time in the bank the last 3 weeks than in the 30 years we have been clients of ABSA! The Branch Manager, apparently jokingly, told my husband that he does not have a big enough account with ABSA Bank, for her to assist him personally.

We want a detailed explanation, and clearance of my husband’s credit record with a formal apology, as I am sure we will be lining up at the ABSA Bank Ben Swart Branch next week again, with the same issue. Since we only have a few other accounts with them, I would love to know what the new excuse will be when they freeze my husbands account again.

We are entrepreneurs and the time and effort this has taken, and in all probability will take again is devastating to our business. This is only the time aspect, the financial aspect, and credit record aspect has ruined us!