Subject: Urgent Request to Permanently Correct and Lock Legal Surname on Account

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to formally request the permanent correction and protection of my legal surname on my bank account. Despite previously submitting my valid South African ID card and divorce decree to confirm my legal surname, your system has once again altered my surname without my consent.

Your staff have claimed this change was triggered by data from Home Affairs. I have since obtained confirmation from the Department of Home Affairs that my legal surname is correctly recorded in their system and has not been changed. This indicates that the alteration on your side is either due to outdated third-party data or an internal system override — neither of which has legal standing to alter my personal information.

This repeated interference is now obstructing my ability to receive salary payments. My employer is transitioning to Payoneer, which requires exact name matching between my bank account and Payoneer profile. If this issue is not resolved immediately, I will be unable to access my income.

I therefore demand the following:

Immediate restoration of my legal surname on my account, as per my ID and proof of divorce decree. I do not legally hold the title Mrs. or B***ing.

A permanent lock on my surname to prevent future automated or third-party overrides.

Confirmation that your institution will comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and cease unauthorized changes to my personal data.

Please treat this matter with urgency. If unresolved within 10 business days, I will escalate the issue to the Ombudsman for Banking Services and submit a formal complaint under POPIA.

PS I keep being advised to go into the bank to change it, I do. It was already emailed and submitted before, and my surname was corrected and then it just changes back to my ex-husband's surname. Something that suddenly started happening last year. I never even opened the account with his surname as we got divorced over 16yrs ago. how do you expect me to have a bank account in a name that i do not possess a legal ID for?