Capitec refusing to release frozen funds despite their client's voice-recorded consent to return them

In October 2025, I deposited R9,990 from my Standard Bank account into a Capitec account for industrial machinery sourced by our engineer. Shortly after, the supplier became completely evasive and stopped answering our engineer's calls. Realizing this was highly suspicious, we acted immediately and got Standard Bank to freeze the funds in the recipient's Capitec account based on these red flags. Subsequent to freezing the money, our engineer sent his team to collect the machinery. Upon arrival, they discovered the items were essentially s**** and absolutely nothing like what was ordered. The items were rejected on the spot. Our engineer has since discovered this individual has targeted multiple other individuals using the exact same scheme. I personally contacted the account holder regarding the situation. I still possess written WhatsApp messages and explicit WhatsApp voice note recordings from this individual stating clearly that he does not want the money and that I can have it back. I furnished Capitec's ***** Department with these exact voice notes and communiques back in March 2026. Since March, I have been dealing directly with Capitec, providing: * The original invoice matching the holder's contact details and phone number. * All inter-bank correspondence and investigator files. * The explicit written and audio voice recordings from their own client stating he does not want the money and I can have it back. Despite a month of back-and-forth, Capitec is now refusing to release my money, claiming that their client is suddenly contesting the funds. This means Capitec is actively allowing their account holder to act in bad faith—lying to the bank to claim money which he has already explicitly stated in his own voice recordings he does not want and that I can have returned. Capitec’s response is that I require a court-ordered summons. Because the cost of a High Court summons exceeds the R9,990 ******, Capitec is effectively hiding behind a legal loophole to withhold my frozen funds. This is wholly unacceptable. I have provided clear, voice-recorded proof from their own client saying he does not want the money and that it can be returned. I require an immediate escalation of this matter to Capitec’s legal and executive dispute team before this is handed over to the National Financial Ombud Scheme (NFO).