TOTAL LACK OF CONSIDERATION

I was a United Building Society client and in 1991 automatically became an ABSA client when UBS holdings became part of the newly formed Amalgamated Banks of South Africa Limited.

In 2009, I became an ABSA Private Bank client.

This month I registered a new non-profit company (NPC) and naturally ABSA was my first choice for opening my new business account.

On Monday 13 December, I went onto ABSA’s web site to open an account. However, none of the accounts seemed to apply to NPCs. I sent an email to the email listed on the web page with a simple question, "What business accounts do you have suitable for my business?"

In the same email, which I carbon copied to my private banker, and in the correspondence that followed, I explained in detail [including a link to a short introduction video of my NPC], the nature of the NPC which I have just registered.

Several emails went back and forth.

My private banker emailed Mr Khaya Mti (Area Manager Coverage: PE Newton Park; Public Sector and Enteprise Development, Relationship Banking). Mr Mti sent an email to Mr Mfundo Mkefa (Enterprise Banker, Eastern & Southern Cape Business Banking).

On Friday 17 December, my simple question remained unanswered.

I sent an email to all reflecting my disappointment.

The following day, I received an email from Mr Mkefa asking me if he could phone me on Monday 20 December between 9 and 10am. He wrote: “"I will advise you on what documentation will be needed and when I can assist with opening your NPC account"

I changed my meeting arrangements for Monday and rep**** to Mr Mkefa that I will make myself available between 9 and 10 am to receive his call.

Today [Monday 20 December], I waited from 9 to 11 am for Mr Mkefa’s phone call, in vain.

At 11 am, I sent Mr Mkefa an email.

His reply 20 minutes later was as follows:

"Kindly note that I’m still engaged with a client whom an appointment was scheduled with. I’ve had a few walk-ins this morning that were unexpected, hence my inability to call you within the time I had planned to contact you not knowing there would be walk-in clients that one needs to hear out."

The lack of consideration that I am referring to in the title to this post is the fact that Mr Mkefa did not have the decency to send me a message nor an email informing me that he was not going to call.