Pension fund not paying!

What a horrible experience with Sanlam, My husband passed on last year on the 10th of April 2021, From what I know his HR department submitted all required claim forms in April last year, It's been a little over 13 months that we are waiting for his Pension fund to be paid out, My children having been calling the benefits department almost every week, and I have visited my nearest Sanlam ranch only to be told that application is still pending. From my understanding the pension funds act prescribes that the fund has up to 12 months after date of death to finalise it's investigation. We are on the 13th month now and my children and I are suffering medical bills from the time my husband was alive have since piled up. May I please be updated on the claim, the last time my daughter called we were told the claim is with the board of trustees for approval, that was in march and we were told the turnaround time for that was a month.