FNB Slow Lounge: credit card *****, incorrect charges, and poor FNB customer service

I'm an FNB Premier credit card holder, and my last eBucks rewards statement says I have been rewarded 2 free visits to a local Slow Lounge. The definition of reward: "a thing given in recognition of service, effort, or achievement". This was the last statement I received, and I used this as a reference when going to a FNB Slow Lounge.

When I arrived at the Slow Lounge I told the attendant I'd like to use my free visits - I was then asked to hand over my credit card, which I did. I assumed this was to be used as a form of identification, but instead I was charged for my entries and I did not authorize this charge, there was no form of receipt or a request for signature, and on top of that they charged the wrong amount! In any other transaction I would have filed a dispute with FNB, but because it's an FNB service this is not an option.

I pay a ****ing to get "premier" banking services. On August the 10th I walked into an FNB bank and requested to speak to an assistant - I was informed there was no one qualified there to help with my issue, so I'm then handed a telephone to speak to a "Premier" assistant who replies 3 days later via email with a generic response that doesn't answer my query and then ignores all further correspondence ~ CRM: ********** ********** 3.

The single generic response I received listed 5 requirements to "qualify" for the free visits - that is not how a reward works. If you are going to make the requirements as complex as above, then they need to be displayed clearly somewhere - and if I'm suddenly going to not qualify then when I ask the slow lounge attendant "I'd like to use my free visits to enter the slow lounge" then they should be able to answer "Sorry, you don't have any free visits left, let us charge your credit card". Instead, my credit card was handed over and they charged me (and the incorrect amount) for entering the slow lounge without requesting if that was okay, giving me a receipt, or asking me to sign a receipt. That is not acceptable.

I was also charged R400 twice and R250 twice - I entered a local slow lounge twice and an international one only once - this just further shows how the system needs to be made more transparent to users - with a receipt or request for authorization, as is expected at any other company or business in South Africa!