Incompetency: ABSA Deceased Estate Dept

ABSA - I would like to emphasize my extreme dissatisfaction, and if it were possible, I would give a negative rating. I have never encountered such incompetence. Following the passing of my mother-in-law, my husband, designated as the Executor of her estate, diligently followed all required procedures. He obtained Executorship through the Court and received the Letter of Authority from the High Court, preventing banks from disclosing any information about her accounts until this appointment was secured. Subsequently, he opened the Estate Bank Account and promptly requested ABSA and FNB to close her accounts, transferring the funds to the Estate Bank Accounts. Both banks received identical documents on the same day.

While FNB efficiently closed the accounts and transferred the funds within two weeks by the end of November, ABSA has presented an ongoing ordeal. Despite numerous emails and hours spent on the phone, ABSA repeatedly claimed incomplete documentation. Even when SARS requested all necessary documents to finalize the estate by December 2023, ABSA continued to exhibit incompetence. Following a visit to the Potchefstroom branch, where the consultant personally contacted ABSA's Deceased Estate Department and confirmed the completeness of the documentation, ABSA assured that my mother's accounts would be closed, and funds transferred to the Estate Bank Account no later than February 20.

To our dismay, ABSA has once again sent another email, insisting on an update to the Letter of Authority, issued before my husband gained access to her bank accounts, before they can proceed with the account closure. This situation is baffling, especially when FNB successfully completed the process with the exact same documents. The disparity in efficiency between the two banks is perplexing and raises serious concerns about ABSA's handling of such matters.