******* debiting from my banking account

I feel Liberty Life is disrespecting me as an individual and also as a customer. From last year (2021) I have been calling Liberty and sending emails concerning the policy that I have with them. Mid-August 2022 it came to my attention that Liberty Life has stopped debiting from my account. 17 August 2022 I logged a complaint on HelloPeter concerning the services that I have been receiving from Liberty and one of the key questions I asked was who is that person that stopped my debits, as I have never called Liberty to stop any debit orders. And Liberty is now telling me that my policies have lapsed due to non-payment. To date I have not received a response as to cancel my debit. On the 17th August 2022 Lerato Rikhotso sent me an email acknowledging the compliant email I have sent.

A lady by the name of Siyuyiselo Mqwati then responded to my email indicating that Liberty is currently doing an investigation and that I will be notified on the outcome of the investigation. On the 29 August I received an email from Ms. Mqwati indicating that I should go and make payment of my 2 policies which is R130 and R225. I then made payments for those policies on the 30th August 2022, which I believe the money that I paid was for the Month of August 2022. On the 6th September 2022, Ms. Mqwati sent me another email indicating that the policies are now active since payment was received, and she also indicated that the system department needs 5 working days to conclude the investigation. She also indicated that senior management would sit the following week to discuss the issue of the arrears.

On the morning of 9 September 2022, I received an SMS from Standard Bank indicating that an amount of R355 has been debited from my account by Liberty Life. I then called Liberty and the lady who assisted me indicated that indeed and amount of R355 was debited. When I asked who authorised that since my case is still under investigations and I do not remember authorising Liberty to debit on the 9th as I get paid on the 15th of each month. I later told her that I will be reversing that money as it is money for petrol. She agreed, and I requested her to also put a note on the system for Ms. Mqwati to call me. I then asked the lady what my debit date on the system and she indicated that the debit date is 19 of each month. I requested her to change the debit date to 15 as I get paid on the 15th.

The same day I wrote another email to Liberty complaining about the money that was debited (Reference number: ***). On the 12th September 2022 I received an automated email saying Liberty acknowledge my email. To my surprise today 13 September 2022 a debit of R225 from Liberty went through my account. I have reversed the amount since that was the only money I am left with in my account. I do not understand if the lady changed the debit date from 19 to 15 who then now authorise the debit to go out on the 13th.

I have the following that I need Liberty to address me with:

1. I am 37 years old and pregnant (which my doctor indicated that I am at risk as I am above 35 years old.) Now my body (system) is stressed, I have to go to the doctor for check-up. This is an unplanned doctors visit as I am afraid my blood pressure might be high. Who is going to be responsible for the cost incurred? 2. I work for Government, and I have app**** for a subsidy vehicle, with all those reversals that I have been doing does Liberty understand the financial implications of that? If my application is declined due to the reversals that I have been doing who is going to be liable of that? 3. The policy that I pay R225 I have covered my mother who is 76 years old, if anything happens to her is Liberty going to pay for the funeral? 4. Who is the person since last year who has been cancelling my debits and reinstating them when they like? It means and I believe the cancellation of my debit was intentional so that I do not claim if anything happens. Why am I saying that: it shows that Liberty has authority to debit and not debit from my account when they feel like 5. The arrears that Liberty is saying that I owe, I do not think it will be my responsibility to pay for them as the current events surely indicates that Liberty has been negligent, and they have been messing up with my policies for their own benefit. 6. The bank charges that I have been incurring who is going to be liable for them? 7. My airtime, data and time that I have been spending calling Liberty for a problem that was initiated by Liberty as a company I need compensation for that.

I have also included Ombudsman as I feel that this matter is now above my control and that Liberty Life is taking advantage of me as a customer.