Cruel to be kind

"You have to be cruel to be kind”

How devastated was South Africans when the lock-down was announce. No income and bills to pay. When the banks announce the payment holiday we were all ecstatic. Yes we will pay now longer on our loan as the period was extended with the 3 months. When the lock-down was extended and we receive an e-mail "Do you need more time on your Holiday payment" we readily accepted it and now the period was 6 months longer. The Good Samaritan will say the total amount owed plus interest remains the same only the payment period becomes longer.

In my case I borrowed R120 000 for 60 months and started my 3 year of repayment when the holiday option becomes an option. So I, like most South Africans, expect to pay longer but not more than was original calculated. That did not happened. They added the full monthly payment of R6816.59 x 6 and added a whopping R40899.56 to the outstanding amount and wipe out all payment made the past 24 months and you have to start all over again. Was this perhaps where the saying comes from "You have to be cruel to be kind"

Is it possible that an household name like Sanlam can be so cruel to people already on their knees.