THE POOREST OF POOR SERVICE - "PAR EXCELLENCE"

I refer to the email communication from Lindiwe Rantsane (see below).

For approximately 6 months, I have communicated with both ABSA and a particular external beneficiary about the monthly debit order against my cheque account with ABSA.

I only get an old-age grant from SASSA and have to live and survive on that amount each month (no other pension, annuity, grant or support from any other source, including family).

Initially, the monthly debit order ran on the 1st of each month. I then requested the beneficiary and ABSA to change the debit order date to the 5th of each month, to ensure there are sufficient funds in my cheque account once SASSA has deposited the old-age grant into my account.

Despite the BANK and the external beneficiary acknowledging my request/instruction for the change of date, the relevant transaction/s repeats itself on the 1st of every month n stead of the 5th of the month as agreed.

With each transaction, ABSA debits my account with R150 (non-payment fee) AND an R19 transaction fee. The result is that I have very little of my old-age grant left to survive.

Despite all my efforts (email communication, telephone conversations, and follow-up action), with Louise van der Walt, Theko Thabang, and Lindiwe Rantsane, I am still 6 months down the line stuck at "square one", with apparently NO chance of a resolution of the issue?!

I sincerely hope that with the help of Hello Peter, this discomforting issue can be resolved AND that either ABSA or the beneficiary (or both) will ensure that the hundreds of Rand my account was wrongly debited with these months, is summarily credited to my account.

I have kept a record of all the written communication and - if not resolved - I intend to refer the matter to the Ombudsman for a resolution and public exposure of the parties' unwillingness OR incompetence in attending to the matter.

How difficult can it be to resolve such a simple, common problem?!

To top it all off, I don't get any feedback from ABSA Bank or the relevant beneficiary. What a sorry state of affairs!

Am I the 1st and the only person who has ever experienced this type of problem? I seriously doubt it!

Surely, somewhere, someone must be able to sort this out without further delay?!

<***> Specialist Case Manager: CEO & Resolve Complaints Customer Value Management: Customer Care 29 Jun 2022, 11:49 to me

Dear Mr Burger,

Thank you for raising your concern with us and allowing us the opportunity to investigate and resolve your complaint.

Our complaints handling procedure is:

They assigned the complaint to me, and I am busy with the investigations. The complaint case reference number is C-***0.

I will contact you through email by the close of business on 06 July 2022, to provide you with progress on your complaint.

Regards

Lindiwe Rantsane Specialist Case Manager: CEO & Resolve Complaints Customer Value Management: Customer Care