Topaz? More like TO PASS

My mom bought a policy from Sanlam in 2009. She subsequently lost her husband and job and now has only lives on a state pension and charity. She asked my husband to contact Sanlam on her behalf to find out if there is a way that she can amend the policy in any way that she can either take her money out or make it paid up so she doesn't have to shell over 50% of her earnings a month to the policy, but Sanlam have been absolutely inflexible and very slow at that. They take 5 days to let you know whether they will respond to you and then you're lucky if they do. Meanwhile, my mother is going down a deep and dark hole financially. Their response is that the only option she has is to cut her losses and stop paying and lose the benefit at the same time (R600 a month paid since 2009). Does the Financial Services Board and Ombudsman condone this ****************? I'm in the market to buy a policy, but it sure as hell won't be from Sanlam.