Pathetic Service

I went to Standard Bank Randburg Branch to update my Identification Type from Passport to ID. While I was sitting down being served, the consultant who was serving me (Nthabiseng Moloi) went behind a glass door to discuss something with another consultant (Leah Kepadisa). They talked for a long time, then suddenly they came back and Leah Kepadisa outrightly told me they need to verify my ID with Home Affairs because my ID "lacked security features".

I was appalled.

This was an ID I had collected from Home Affairs in just the last two weeks.

Later on I returned to the branch and demanded to speak to the Branch Manager. I was directed to one Nonhle who listened to my case. She then went to speak to the consultants. and came back telling me the same story that they had to verify my ID. To be clear, I completely understand that banks have to verify such information/documents. What was appalling about this whole issue was that they told me my ID lacked security features, an ID I had collected from Home Affairs. I then asked them why they could not verify using my fingerprints and they told me that Home Affairs was offline. So what exactly was the official reason? Was it that Home Affairs was offline or was it that my ID "lacked security features"?

Later during the day, I called Standard Bank's FICA department. The agent there told me that as long as I had presented my Permanent Residence Certificate and ID (which I did) then what the consultants should have done was to CALL Home Affairs IN MY PRESENCE and verify my identity. The call centre agent then advised me to lodge a complaint.

This happened today and the branch manager told me she would call me as soon as Home Affairs had verified my ID.

What is most pathetic about this whole situation is that Leah Kepadisa and Nthabiseng Moloi from the Randburg branch told me that my ID lacked security features. Why couldn't they just tell me they could not verify my ID because Home Affairs was offline instead of implying that my ID was ****?

As soon as Home Affairs verifies my ID, I am going to sue Standard Bank. And I'm going to sue for millions of rand for Emotional Trauma.