It's not the money - it's the lack of basic respect for customers

To Momentum,

I submitted the withdrawal form for my 2-pot savings component on 3 September 2024. I used the 2-pot withdrawal email address provided. I received an automated email acknowledgment signed by Administration Manager Zodwa Mokabane.

I did not receive any further communication. About two weeks after my submission, having read that two weeks was the time it took for claims to be processed, I called the call centre to follow up on the status of my claim. I was told by an agent that my form has been received and is being processed. I will request a recording of this call if my complaint has to go further.

Another week after receiving no communication, on 25 September, I emailed the corporate client email address. I received an automated email acknowledgment signed by Administration Manager Xolani Makhatini.

I waited the requisite two days for a response, but I did not get one.

I called the call centre again, learned that the time taken until payout of 2-pot claims had been extended to four weeks, and left a voice message as I couldn't get through to an agent.

No one at Momentum has returned my call.

On 30 September, I received an email from Nompumelelo Vilakazi, asking me to provide my ID number, which I promptly did.

But Nompumelelo never responded to this.

Today, I received an email from Tevlin Abrahams saying 'Please be advised we have note [sic] received your withdrawal claim form.'

Tevlin was in fact replying to the same email thread that contained my original application, with the form attached. If he had looked up to the top of the thread, he would have seen my original application, but for reasons I can only guess at, he did not.

It has been four weeks since I originally submitted my form, and yet I have neither my funds, nor the most basic modicum of respect from an agent at least explaining what is happening with my claim.

I understand that the volume of payouts at this time must be overwhelming. However, Momentum clearly employs many people who are supposed to help customers. But these people, at least the SIX employees that I have dealt with, do not seem to care or have basic training necessary to provide actual service to Momentum’s customers.

All I am asking for is an update on the status of my claim, and information about when I can expect to receive my money. I really don’t think that is too much to ask, especially from a company that I am paying my hard-earned money to.

I don’t know if it is apathy, lack of training, incompetence, or something else that has allowed this sorry state of affairs to have taken place.

I am asking to please have someone who is knowledgeable to give me the courtesy of looking at my claim, and communicating the information about it to me. I am not demanding my money immediately. I am simply asking to be treated with the most basic level of respect that Momentum claims it wants to give its customers.

Sarah de Jager Cell: ***