Expired debit card replacement issues

Replacing an expired debit card cannot be that difficult - unless of course you're a client of Absa: My expectation (based on overseas banking): Before a card expires, the new one is free of charge already in the mail. I sign on the back and am ready to go. Absa's way: Your card expires and you find out when you are at a till point (unless you set a reminder for yourself in your phone for your card expiry date). You log an online request. You get a reference number and the promise someone will get in contact. Well, that never happened. So you phone the hotline that refers you to telephone banking. That's not helping. So eventually I see there is that card replacement function on the online banking page. It just doesn't seem to work. So you call the hotline and get through to an agent telling you that because of COVID the mailing of cards is being abandoned - you need to come into the branch in person. Makes no sense! Even if it would work, you'd have to pay for it. Needless to say that the first branch I went to is closed - due to COVID. The second branch has a line of people waiting in the sun (you shall not line up inside the mall). This line is going around the block and it'll take hours to get to the front. I'm still part of the essential worker group that tries to keep the country going and have no time for abandoning my desk for half a day just for a simple card replacement. So all I am getting from this is, that I better find another service provider that can actually provide service.