TERMINATION OF PENSION PAYOUTS DUE FAILURE TO SUBMIT PROOF OF EXISTENCE: PERSISTENT DELAY TO REINSTATE MONTHLY PENSION PAYOUTS DESPITE SUBMISSION OF PROOF OF EXISTENCE AND 3 (THREE) MONTHS ARREARS OF MONTHLY PENSION PAYOUTS

My 82 year old mother has been receiving pension payouts since 2012. In October 2019, she never received her pension payout.I contacted the Mibfa and I was informed that the reason for termination of pension payout was her failure to send her proof of existence by End of September 2019. I was advised to take my mother to the police station to depose to the affidavit that she is still alive. I opted download their proof of existence form which is available on their website. The completed and signed proof of existence form together with the necessary existence were send to mibfa on 06 November 2019 by email and the receipt thereof was acknowledged on 08 November 2019 also by email. On 28 November 2019, my mother never received her pension payout for November 2019. I contacted them to enquire about the reason why payment was never made. The person I spoke to demanded to talk to my mother because it was confidential. I was not with my mother at the time and I didn't understand the reasoning behind his insistence of wanting to talk to my mother. It did not make sense to me because the enquiry was simply about the reason why my mother was not paid despite the submission of the proof of address which was the reason why the pension payout were terminated. I remained resolute to obtain the reason and he reluctantly informed me that the documentation reached the relevant office only on 18 November 2019 and the payment will be made on 18 December 2019 togother with the arrear pension payouts for October and November 2019. I was not satisfied with the explanation proferred and I sent mibfa an email in which I indicated that their conduct was so unfair towards my mother considering her age and that meant that mibfa was in 2 months arrears with regards to the payment of her monthly pension. I also indicated that I was seriously considering to refer this matter to Financial Services Board and to post their conduct on Hello Peter page for review purposes to enable everyone to see treatment the pensioners/elders receive from Mibfa. It seems as though mibfa remained unwavering despite the written threat. On 18 December 2019, my mother never received her pension payout for December 2018. I contacted them to enquire about the reason why payment was never made. I spoke to Zanele who once again demanded to talk to my mother because it was confidential. Even though I did not understand the reason why she need to talk to instead of giving the reasons, I comp**** by giving my mother the phone this time around because I was on leave and with my mother at the time. Zanele, without any shadow of shame, informed my mother that the verification process took longer than expected and the payment will be made only in January 2020 because the payment section has already closed for the year. My mother indicated to her that her pension payouts are now 3 months in arrears (October, November and December 2019) and mibfa will be 4 months in arrears in January 2020. I was left with no option but to proceed with the writing of this review. Paul on behalf of my mother