Worst bank!!

ABSA: The bank that does not care for its customers!!!! I have had a 32 day savings account for several years and have my life’s savings in this account. I am currently based in Abu Dhabi. With COVID affecting my family back home, I needed to cover rental and other costs for several months. Now that I tried to place notice on my account (for the first time in years - as I have ever only paid into this account), I recieved a message that there was insufficient funds (but the balance shows my life savings clearly). When I called, emailed, and called again and again 3 months ago I was told that I needed to come into the bank - which was obviously not possible. All flights from the UAE as well as those into South Afric a had been stopped.

No one could explain the block. I was (after possibly 20 emails and calls back and forth) told that I would have to pay a lawyer to draft a POA letter, send the signed letter, stamped by a commissioner, and a certified ID copy, by courier to South Africa and ask someone to go in for me. With Covid and the closure of the SA embassy following a positive this was extremely difficult to do. It cost over R3000 to have the documents drafted, signed and sent. But fair enough, if that’s what needed to be done, I understood. But WAIT!!

My father, who is in his 70’s and still working extremely hard, and recently sliced his hand with a rotating saw blade, has spent the last 2 days in the Western cape Gardens ABSA trying to place notice on my behalf with all of my documents. A lovely lady (Tania) who was helping him managed to place notice.. and.. the following morning I received an email that it was blocked due to an old ***** claim. THIS ***** CLAIM IS THE REASON WE WENT THROUGH THIS ORDEAL IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!!!!!!! I have never been called or informed that there was ***** on the account until I had to nag and nag and NAG for an answer. After FOUR 30 minute phone calls to ABSA - being cut off four times and spending hours on the phone, and explaining the situation again and again to four different, very unhelpful agents, the rudest of all was actually the most helpful - she explained that a ***** block was placed ON THE DAY I OPENED THE ACCOUNT!!!!!!! Because they lost my FICA documents!!! No one ever bothered to call. I could have given them immediately. So then I had to call the original Umhlanga crescent branch and a lovely lady (Keshnee - an Angel) informed me that the block was indeed placed on the same day and I had to email through ID and residence proof - which I did immediately (yesterday). NOT EVEN A REPLY from the ***** line who I was instructed to email the documents to. And the account is still blocked. I am not some ******** trying to ***** the Bank’s money - I am simply trying to access MY OWN SAVINGS!!!!. I understand the requirements and safely regulations in place but I have been told conflicting information over and over again and gone around in circles and spent thousands on couriers and international calls to get absolutely NOWHERE!!!! Yesterday I was literally sobbing because I urgently need this money to help my father - and my hands are tied!! If one person had just taken TEN MINUTES to actually research the issue amd give me the correct solution I could have placed notice MONTHS AGO!!! I have bent over backwards, done EVERYTHING asked of me at my own expense, and STILL have no solution!!! I don’t know where else to turn! COME ON ABSA!!!! The worst, worst service I have ever experienced!! (Except for Keshnee in Umhlanga, and Germaine Davids on the helpline - both of you have tried in spite of a terrible system). My question is NOW WHAT???? My account is still blocked as of this morning and my father urgently needs help financially. PLEASE PLEASE PEASE contact me urgently!!!