Insensitive and uncoordinated

At the age of 77, after banking with Std Bank for 56 years, my mother became too ill to continue the part time work she was doing to supplement the SASSA pension. At this stage, we became aware that she had a credit card and overdraft debt, and as she would not be able to pay it. I accompanied my mom to a branch, we spoke to a manager and handed over a letter (my mom expressed her deep concern and spelt out the circumstances. No one wanted to consider this letter/personal appeal then or up to now - so much for personal touch). This was heart wrenching for my Mom.

However, the harassment has been relentless - different agents calling at all times of day and night - sometimes up to 3 calls a day! I took over dealing with the bank to alleviate the torture. Every time someone different.

The stress on my Mother was unbearable and certainly made her last few months unpleasant. To verify our reason - being her ill health, she sadly passed after almost 3 months on life support.

I have responded to SMSs, sent emails, submitted documents and doctor's letters, taken calls - in the interest of transparency. No replies to SMSs, ******** suggestions in emails (she must pay over her SASSA pension to offset the debt!!!), incorrect personal email addresses when I tried to get A PERSON to follow this process through, bullying phone calls, even visiting branches.

My next step following an instruction from a call centre agent, was to go in to a branch and give them certified copies of the Death Certificate, Will, IDs etc. The agent was told that the estate isn't registered yet.

So I visited the Constantia Village branch and was told that they couldn't deal with me until my official appointment as Executrix, but I insisted they take copies of the certified documents as I was following instructions from the call centre agent. I was told that the account was being frozen while I was sitting there. At that time, my intention was to offer a personal settlement, but was not allowed to. (There is no chance of that now!) SInce it was 'frozen' I am still getting daily SMSs and phone calls. In the interest of proactivity I contacted Deceased Recoveries and obliged their request by giving documents at hand. The bottom line is that there is no money in the estate (R1184 left in a savings account).

There were only 3 Old Mutual Policies and the R250pm annuity was being paid to Std Bank every month, and the total benefit remaining in the policies was paid over to Std Bank before she died. The very last of her worldly wealth.

Considering that she was an exemplary client for half a decade, that the bank afforded her credit she couldn't afford (reckless lending as they never reviewed her circumstances since she had a business way back when), the insensitivity and obvious chaotic client management and the absence of soft s****s that have exacerbated my grief, I urge the bank to do the right thing: 1. Centralise your client relations so that you don't duplicate effort and annoy clients through what is experienced as bullying and harassment. Preferably one person assigned to see a matter such as this through. 2. Train your people in soft s****s. 3. Save the institution from pointless effort to recover debts that are frankly impossible to recover. 4. Write off the debt.