COMPLAINT: Unprofessional Conduct and Lack of Support from Alinde van der Merwe (Alexander Forbes)

I am lodging this complaint to bring urgent attention to the unacceptable and deeply insensitive conduct my family experienced from Alinde van der Merwe of Alexander Forbes. My sister-in-law, who was terminally ill with pancreatic cancer and had only two months to live, and I spent over three hours with Alinde completing all the required forms. During that meeting, Alinde repeatedly assured us that she would handle the paperwork, follow through on all requirements, and provide regular updates on the progress of the claim. However, shortly after that meeting, Alinde stopped responding to emails and ignored every request for a progress update. At a time when my sister-in-law was fighting for her life and we urgently needed clarity and support, she received no assistance whatsoever from the very broker who promised to help. My sister-in-law asked me to get feedback from the 25 September 2025 email requesting update which was ignored by Alinde. On 8 October 2025 from her death bed at Morningside mediclinic, my sister in law asked me to call Alinde and she will talk directly to her as it was her last day to live but Alinde ignored our calls and whats app messages blaming network and on leave but no out of office or voice message to prove same. My sister in law has since passed away on same 8 October 3 hours later after the failed calls to Alinde, and instead of stepping in to assist with the complicated administrative process that follows a death, Alinde has distanced herself entirely. She refuses to assist, provide guidance, or show any sense of accountability or compassion. This has placed a massive emotional and administrative burden on our grieving family. I then asked that the matter be reassigned to another broker—someone competent, responsive, and willing to assist. Instead, I was met with further obstruction. It appears as though Alexander Forbes operates a protective internal network, shielding staff from accountability while families suffer through endless delays. This behaviour raises serious concerns about the organisation’s ethics, customer care, and the way vulnerable clients are treated during life-changing events. This experience has been traumatic, disappointing, and completely avoidable. We expected professionalism, empathy, and support during a devastating time, not silence, avoidance, and indifference. I have emails and call log evidence of all the attempts made but still we are being ignored and made to run from pillar to post. Other competing insurers was extremely helpful and assisted with admin and guided us to have lesser stress. I am posting this publicly on HelloPeter and social media in the hope that Alexander Forbes executives will intervene, allocate a capable and compassionate consultant to assist with the outstanding matters, and address the unprofessional conduct displayed by Alinde van der Merwe. I expect urgent assistance and accountability as we are still being ignored while bearing mind the high commissions being paid to Alexander forbes brokers since 2019 and being treated just as a statistic. We may look different but we are still Humans and not animals who should be ignored.