Sanlam Claim Nightmare

Absolutely Shocking Service from Sanlam Sky - 5+ Months and Counting Rating: 1/5 Stars I am writing this review to warn others about the absolutely appalling service we have received from Sanlam Sky regarding a simple savings withdrawal claim. What should have been a straightforward 5-day process has turned into a 5+ month nightmare that is still ongoing. The Timeline of Incompetence April 2025: Called to enquire about submitting a claim for full withdrawal of a flexi Savings plan for our employee who was retiring. After a frustrating process, we finally received the documents. Despite us being the policy holder (as the employer), they inexplicably insisted our employee give permission as if he was the policy holder. 26 June 2025: Submitted all required documents including claim form, proof of banking account, ID copy, of the emplyee as per their request etc. They promised a 5-day settlement period. July-August: Complete radio silence. Multiple enquiries yielded no feedback. Then someone called asking for proof of account for our church because they "couldn't pay into the employee's account" - despite them specifically requesting all his banking information initially. 12 August: Finally spoke to someone who seemed competent. He confirmed they had everything needed and promised payment within the week. Nothing happened. Late August: After more calls and emails, was told the claim form needed to be signed by someone from the church. Filled in and signed a new form with my details. No acknowledgement of receipt. 28 August: Required to submit yet another form with my ID and a church resolution stating me as the contact person. Still no acknowledgement. 2 September: Called again, struggled to find anyone who could help. Eventually someone accessed our details, saw all documents on system, and said they would escalate. Nothing happened. Today (4 September): Called again. Current agent could see everything but informed me the previous escalation wasn't done properly, so they're escalating again. Major Issues with Sanlam Sky: 1. Inconsistent Information: Different agents give different requirements each time 2. No Communication: Zero acknowledgement of document submissions 3. Impossible to Reach: Phone system makes it nearly impossible to speak to competent agents 4. Staff Training Issues: Agents can't access policies or don't understand procedures 5. False Promises: Repeatedly told issues would be resolved "next week" 6. Document Confusion: Keep asking for different documents despite having everything needed 7. No Escalation Process: "Escalations" aren't properly processed The Impact Our retired employee has been waiting over 3 months for his pension money. This is completely unacceptable for someone who has worked their entire life and deserves their retirement funds promptly. The stress and frustration this has caused both him and our organization is immeasurable. Conclusion Sanlam Sky's customer service is the worst I have ever experienced in many years of business. They have turned a simple pension withdrawal into a bureaucratic nightmare. Their staff appear undertrained, their systems don't work properly, and their communication is non-existent. I would strongly advise anyone considering Sanlam Sky products to look elsewhere. If this is how they treat a straightforward claim, I can only imagine how they handle complex issues. Update will follow if/when this matter is ever resolved.