Bad Policies and Regulations

In the 21st century where digitization has taken over the world of technology and banking has become an everyday thing, not is it only about performing your daily transaction through your bank, you life and existence also depends strongly on it as you might run into an emergency that requires finance and you should trust your bank enough to give you the required support needed.

I am a Nigerian who operates a savings account with Absa, i have my salary account with another bank which i am very happy with and will not want to disclose their name, i operate this account with absa with the precautionary motive of holding money, and that should there be a dare need for the use of money you can get it in time.

i was at the stores just before the end of March 2020 during the first declaration of the lock down to get some food for my family, while at the till point when i was about to pay, i was told my transaction declined, it came as a shock because i know my account is well funded as the account was not used for daily transaction, besides the account was opened for emergencies like this, i tried the transaction again and was told the same thing again, shortly afterwards, the cashier sent for a manager to come assist thinking i was there to perform a ********** transaction with the card, shortly afterwards i got an sms from the the bank saying my account has been suspended and that i should contact the bank, i felt embarrassed leaving the store because i already got the look of being a ********* from both the cashier and the manager.

I contacted the customer care with the intention of knowing whats wrong with my account and fixing it, after several trials and attempt from the consultant, the issue remain unresolved and she couldn't say why, because she also could not see the reason for the account suspension, she referred me to the a branch which you could hardly find as operations was restricted to some selected branches, in the midst of the lock down, i took the risk of going to sunnyside branch where i was then told it was as a result of my passport and permit being expired, i got angry and disappointed and told the lady how frustrated i was with the bank as there was no notice what so ever from the bank notifying or reminding me that my permit will be expiring and as such my account may be suspended or even to provide a renewed permit as the case may be.

i already have the renewed permit and passport with me, i gave it to the consultant with the aim of updating my records but was told the department responsible (FICA) are not working at the moment and will only be done after the end of the lock down, but she promised to help re open my account since i am in dire need of money and have the money in my account and also have the renewed permit and passport, she called few hours later to tell me its been resolved and that ill get access to my funds immediately, which i checked and was ok, few days afterwards, my account was again suspended and could not access my funds again, i contacted the customer care who told me this has been opened but unfortunately it was still not until i visited the branch today to get it resolved.

The frustration here is that, how can Absa as a bank care less about the survival of people who bank with them just because their papers are expired? and then freeze such peoples account without notice or caring about how they intend to survive, i have no mind of making this a racial issue or discriminating issue, but where is the human feeling in dealings with their customers?, there is an ongoing lock down with people not having access to go out and fend for themselves and their families, yet they still don't have access to the money they've saved up with the bank just on a claim that their permits are expired, have you ever thought of what families like that could be eating having frozen their account?, these are people that do not get relieve or support from anywhere or anyone in the country just because they are foreign nationals yet they still don't have access to their own money saved up. How will the bank feel if a parent is in serious need of funds because the child is sick and yet could not access their funds because absa has blocked their account in the name of expired permit?, which might have been submitted at home affairs but delayed for one reason or the other.

I challenge the Absa to look into their policies and have some human feeling especially fr Non citizens who got through tough and rigorous time getting this money but then have issues getting their funds again. This is really absurd, in human, uncalled for and unacceptable for people to be treated like this when they have a source of lively hood saved up some where.

May i emphasis that other banks don't do this i have have other accounts with other banks and yet absa put people through this. It really feels bad to be treated like this and be put through rigorous processes to access your funds but when depositing the money you don't have issues with that.

The earlier the bank considers this and revisits their rules and policies with issues like this, the better, as there might be an urgent need of money where someone is denied access to his/her funds and it is a matter of life and death, and a denial of access to cash leads to a life being lost, the bank may be hit by a very serious legal action.

This is expected to be a clarion call for and on behalf of other voiceless non nationals who just accept this and keep quiet knowing that their voices may not be heard and even if they mention it nothing might be done because they not citizens of this country. my account has been reopened but definitely moving my funds out of the bank due to my experience, how many more customers is Absa losing daily due to this and other issues that the bank is unaware of?

A word is enough for the wise.

Thank you.