Humiliated and denied access to my bank account

<p>I have been banking with ABSA since 1999 and have not been ill treat like this. Saturday, 03 June 2017, the day I will never forget. I lost my ABSA debit card which I recently replaced at Colesburg on 24 April 2017, in the Northern Cape. I went to an ABSA branch in the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town intending to replace lost card as I desperately needed to pay several accounts. I arrived at the V&A waterfront branch just after 10:15 am and cued like any other humble ABSA client. Finally, my turn arrived just after 10:25 which was all well and good. I then explained to the ABSA personnel what the purpose of my visit was. In her initial stage of assisting me, the lady went on and on questioning if I was interested in receiving promotional material and statements by email. Though this was not the primary aim of my visit, I still humbly granted concert thereof. She then updated my profile on her computer. We got to the mater that brought me to their branch. She then asked me which branch do I belong to. I gladly told her that I belong to Menlyn branch in Pretoria, Gauteng. In response, she said she cannot give me a debit card immediately as I do not belong to the V&A branch. In stead I will have to fetch it in 48 hours. I responded by citing two recent events wherein ABSA I replaced my lost cards right on the spot without sending me away without a card for 48 hours. These occasions were at (1) the very V&A Waterfront branch sometime last year and (2) at a branch in Colesburg in the Northern Cape on the 24 April 2017.</p> <p> </p> <p>After having a lengthy decent debate, the lady grew very impatient and requested me to leave. I refused maintaining my argument that, if ABSA could immediately replace my cards on previous occasions, I will not succumb to any treatment to the contrary. She persistently argued that ABSA’s policy has a 48 hours turn-around time for clients to collect cards from a branch they do not belong to. When I questioned the inconsistency, she told me she cannot explain why her colleagues at the V&A branch and Colesburg have given me a card on the spot on the two occasions which I cited.</p> <p> </p> <p>Eventually, the lady called V&A Waterfront security claiming I was a troublesome client thus their assistance to remove me from the bank was required. Upon arrival, the lady told two security personnel that I was refusing to leave as she refused to grant me a debit card, but have offered me an opportunity to withdraw cash from the tellers. I told her in their presence that I was not welling to have hard cash on me as I am afraid of being ******. I then asked if the security was called to intimidate or remove me even though I was not violent or rude to her. I was rather a law abiding client who needed genuine assistance. Ultimately, a senior V&A security personnel was call inn. When he arrived, he told me he was coming to assist me. I asked him if he was coming grant me card or not. He responded by mentioning that ABSA and FNB have a 48 hour turn-round time for issuing cards. Only Capitec was capable of issuing a card immediately. In response, I told him I was also a client of FNB. FNB has on numerous counts given me temporary cards and also cited ABSA past good experience with ABSA where cards ware issued immediately without any trouble. As such, I told him I was not interested listening to his lies as he does not work for ABSA or any bank. They then threated to call SAPS as I was refusing to leave. I then left as I could stand any further humiliation. This is utterly unacceptable and as such I intended to close all my accounts with them. I will also seek legal opinion regarding the appalling treatment.</p> <p> </p>