Camaf, A medical aid a scheme operating like a mafia or drugs gang

Good Day

I stay in Alexandra Township(this will be made relevant later) and have just started my academic articles after resigning from my job and hence took a significant pay cut. Given the nature of being an article clerk this was expected and therefore a conscious decision to start my career instead of just having a job.

I was advised I needed to have medical aid as part of the conditions of working as a clerk, this is understandable however was given a short time frame to sign up with one and submit proof of it. The firm itself is aligned with Camaf and as such it made sense(given the time frame and never having had medical aid to sign up with Camaf) We enquired about what exactly Camaf offers as we do not understand the brochure as it is riddled with jargon. We were advised Camaf does not have a consultant and the firm would have to get an independent consultant which is expensive. Thus we signed up not knowing what is offered because of the time frame given and the alliance the firm already has with Camaf.

Upon Doing my research and going through my personal budget which is it was, was heavily stretched in fact leaving beyond my means, I realised I cannot afford Camaf but more importantly what they offered is what I do not want from a wholistic product point of view. Within 7/8 days of signing up I contact Camaf and requested to leave their medical aid-This was in February already. I was told I cannot leave the medical aid until I finished my articles which is only in 3 years time. I advised the lady that I only signed up 8 days ago and have not even taken delivery of any documentation or used the medical aid. but she stated that Camaf will not release me from the scheme until my articles are done. I advised her this was not communicated to me that should I sign up I cannot leave. This is when I realised that the medical aid operates like the mafia or a gang where once you have signed up you cannot leave irrespective of whether of not you are satisfied with the offering or not. As is now I have to borrow money from Amashonisa(loan sharks with high interest rates) simply to get by the month, only to make another loan at month end to pay off that loan and take up another one, as mentioned I cannot afford the medical aid and given the location I stay in and the history of this country, there are quite a few people who depend on my salary, but the Camaf medical aid which I attempted to cancel 8 days after I took it up is feeding on the disposable income akin to a predator taking advantage of prey which is powerless to act as one signed on a doted line. This is supposed to be an excited time in my career filled with learning gaining experience, it has now been reduced to a month to month of struggling to make ends meet and borrow money on a month to month basis to cover expenses.

I am off the opinion that if someone wants a service of product never mind affording it, will pay all kinds of amounts as they get value from the product, which explains why people can buy Bentley's or Rolls Royce's despite their amounts, because the derive a value which can be justified. When one does not want a service or more importantly cannot afford it, they must be released from the service.

There was no meeting of the minds in this contract. I did not know what is being offered by the medical aid scheme, I attempted to leave after doing research and ever since have been in a financial and mental prison where it is a constant monthly struggle to come up with the pound of flesh demanded.