MISSING ABSA PAYMENT

I made an INSTANT eft payment on Sunday, first I receive an sms stating that the payment needs to be verified (for what reason I do not know? What would need to be verified?). The payment proceeds to go off my banking account a few hours later, and disappears into thin air.

It has never reached the other account, the other account holder spent half an hour on the phone with her bank confirming this, the money has left my account and no one from ABSA can tell me any other information apart from the fact that it has left my account, which I can see for myself.

I have phoned the helpline, who can of course not help me, I have emailed the relevant email addresses, and of course have received no response.

How can money disappear into thin air because of an obvious fault on ABSA's side, and that somehow become the problem of the consumer? If this matter is not attended to and sorted out as a matter of urgency, I will proceed to file a complaint with the relevant ombudsman and the FSCA in my personal capacity as a practicing attorney.