Shocking lack of urgency and service during a medical emergency

I am writing this to expose the complete lack of urgency, communication, and basic duty of care from Affinity Life during an emergency hospital admission on Thursday, 23 July.

No Phone Support: When phoning in to obtain urgent pre-authorisation for my 4 year old son who broke his femur, I was told I was 2nd in the queue. After waiting on hold for over 18 minutes, my airtime ran out. There was no callback or follow-up whatsoever.

Unnotified Arrears Spring on Me During an Emergency: Forced to switch to WhatsApp at 18:35, the agent (Tshepo) told me at 18:48 that benefits were on hold due to an unpaid amount of R1,308 dating back over a month. Up until that exact moment in the hospital, I had received zero notification, SMS, email, or warning about any missed payment—even after subsequent debit orders had successfully gone off. Withholding notification until a child is in the emergency room is unconscionable.

Moving Payment Goalposts: The first agent stated I had an outstanding balance of R1,308 blocking benefits, which I agreed to settle immediately on the spot. After I sent the first immediate payment proof at 19:15, they changed the goalposts and demanded a second payment of R1,308 for July benefits (totalling R2,616)—even though my normal July debit order was already scheduled to go off just 2 days later. To avoid any delays for my son, I immediately made the second payment as well and sent both proofs of payment, only for the chat to be closed on me anyway.

Immediate Payments Ignored: I made two separate immediate Capitec payments on 23 July (sent at 19:15, 19:24, and 19:29) so there would be zero delay.

Ignored Hospital & Family Contacts: My mother-in-law was physically with my son at Unitas Hospital. I repeatedly gave the agents her direct phone number and the hospital name so they could call her and authorise admission directly. Instead, the agents took up to 15 minutes between basic replies and refused to make a call.

Chat Terminated Without Authorisation: At 20:03, while my son was still waiting for treatment, the chat was simply closed out with automated marketing messages. By 20:14, the hospital was still waiting for approval, and I was dumped back at the start of an automated menu.

Leaving a family stranded during a fracture emergency, moving financial goalposts, failing to notify members of account status, and hanging up on an active admission is completely unacceptable.