NOT a child / woman friendly bank!

<p>In January of this year I came to you at your ABSA Strijdom Park Branch to open an account for my son, who was very excited about the process and after going back and forth several times because regardless of what documents I brought there was still a problem, to the point where my husband left work to come sign an affidavit just so that I could avoid driving back and forth again. 3 people assisted me during this long painful process – all of them not knowing what to do and having to constantly ask for help. Eventually my son was given his bank card and I was told an sms will be sent to let me know when the account is open. Eventually a week later I received an sms on the 25 January 2017 saying “Your ABSA account is open. Make a deposit to activate and enjoy easy, safe and convenient banking” – Firstly NONE of this was easy, enjoyable or convenient! Secondly, why would I receive that sms when the account is not open?</p> <p> </p> <p>My son and I went on Monday, 13th February 2017 to finally go deposit his money, again he was very excited and he know he gets a free movie ticket etc with the Mega U option but we plan on changing his account to a savings account and its cool because he is saving money to buy a car and house when he is older, just like his step-dad and guess what… The account is not open!!! Apparently you now need a unabridged birth certificate. I flat out refuse! I supp**** so many documents to prove my child is mine, to prove I am divorced from his father, to prove that I am remarried, to prove where I live, to prove where I work, my husband had to send a letter to prove I am married to him and live with him! – to prove my actual existence and to prove that I am person and a mother… the account is still not open! The past few times I have gone to ABSA Strijdom Park and am needing to supply all the information above - its shocking. I am a person, a mother and a wife and I need to constantly prove all of this to my bank- can you not save the information!</p> <p> </p> <p>So someone needs to sort this out because I will not supply another document, I will not go stand in the home affairs queue for hours and wait months to get an unabridged birth certificate after you have already made me drive back and forth because no one could give me a full list of information that would be needed, after you told me the last time that all the forms where fine for processing, after I have supp**** a lot of information and after you have smsed me to say the account is open.</p> <p> </p> <p>Open the account! This has been a horrible experience and process with ABSA. You have taken something so special for a child to open their first bank account and to learn how to save and spend wisely and turned it ugly. I am still waiting for someone at the Strijdom Park branch to call me – like they said they would.</p>