ABSA Private Banking is a ****

ABSA Private Banking is much worse than having standard 'Retail' banking account. I have had the absolute worst experience with ABSA Private Banker Lulama Mhlonyelwa. I tried for weeks just to get the most simple query sorted that would have taking him all but 10 minutes to sort out, to no avail. He simply does not return calls, whatsapp messages or sms's. I tried calling the ABSA call centre, spent almost 40 minutes being transferred from team to team being told they can "definately" help me with my query, only to be told by the last person that ONLY my Private Banker can assist me, even if you go into the branch, sit there for an hour to just be told only your Private Banker can assist.

But how do you get hold of your Private Banker if they don't answer any calls or messages, or return your calls. Eventually I managed to downgrade my account out of sheer desperation, went to the branch, they sorted all my queries out in 10 minutes. Don't waste your time with a Private Bank account with ABSA, it is a trap and extremely difficult to get out of when your Private Banker has gone AWOL and no one can help you.

I filed a formal complaint against Lulama, no offical reply as of yet

Once I filed a complaint Lulama rose from the dead and emailed me, making false claims that I asked for my account to be closed, where there is written evidence in emails, whatsapps and call records stating that I wanted my account downgraded, and this was not the core issue, the issue was that I tried to get other queries sorted but he just did not help and I could not get hold of him, until I was desperate enough to downgrade my account so that someone at the branch or call centre could help me.

I asked him to CC his boss in so that there is some sort of record keeping of the sequence of events. I tried to ask questions to get to the bottom of what happened, and low and behold, dead silence for a week, no reply, entire issue swept under the rug. Pathetic, I have no doubt this review will also be swept under the rug somehow