Last dignity for a state pensioner??

With reference to Death Claim SO191319, JA Vorster. My uncle passed away on the 16th of August 2020 in Polekwane. He had no assets and received a state pension BUT paid his Clientele Life Funeral Policy diligently. He didn't have a will. My mother, aged 78 is his only family member and she travelled to Polekwane to attend to formalities at the State Hospital and to arrange his memorial service. I assisted her as she is very emotional about her younger brother's passing. We submitted his death certificate and copy of his ID and Avbob quote for a cremation to Clientele Life and requested payment. We were told that we had to open an Estate Late account and get a letter of Authority. We understand the requirements, however I am based in Cape Town and my mother in Roodepoort. She cannot travel to Polekwane to queue at Court to get the official documents. All we want is for his cremation to be paid - he paid for a funeral policy with the little money he had and my mother is distraught about her late brother being in storage for weeks. Eventually she has paid for his cremation using her own pension money. I tried everything to ask for an exception with this claim. We don't want his money, we just want Clientele to pay for an expense he paid his premium for. I can just imagine how many claims are similar to my uncle's and it is a shame. If my mother did not use her pension money to pay for his cremation he would never have had a dignified service. It is a shame - he had so little money and paid for a funeral plan which in the end had no meaning. Please keep this claim open until we advise differently.