Standard Bank Moving Backward Again closing Branches and Retrenching 1200 staff

I have been a customer of Standard Bank all my working life and now retired still bank with Standard Bank. I have lived in Hilton for approx. 36 years. Hilton is approx 20 kms from Pietermaritzburg and 10 kms from Howick. Whilst living in Hilton I have always used the Hilton Branch( Agency) of Standard Bank and always had excellent service from them. In fact my only reason for staying with Standard Bank is the service from the Hilton Branch. Now with Standard Bank advising that they are retrenching 1200 staff they have also advised that in June they are closing this Hilton branch and replacing it with an ATM machine. The staff have been advised that they are to be retrenched. The service from the Howick Standard Bank is so bad that many of the Howick customers use the Hilton Branch. Many of the Hilton and Howick population, like myself are aged and do not really like Internet Banking, but this does not worry Standard Bank. It also does not worry them that ABSA bank have just published a report that internet ***** is increasing by the day. The service from Standard Bank Head Office is almost non existent, probably the wait to be serviced is only second to Telkom for the amount of time it takes. Their email complaints section is so bad that if you enter your Telkom email address ( telkomsa.net) the system states it is an invalid address. This is despite me informing them on numerous occasions that the email address is valid. Despite the closing of the branch the retrenching of 1200 staff at the time that the country is doing its best to create jobs is disgusting. I would gladly join any organised march against Standard Bank weather organised by any Union or Political Party.

Needles to say that I will be closing my banking account with Standard Bank and withdrawing my fairly substantial investments as soon as they mature.

Yes I have complained to Standard Bank but as usual they do not respond to emails or take so long to answer their phone that I normally give up.

I forgot to say that although I complained to Standard Bank on the 1 April about not receiving an sms advising that my pension had not been received as yet I have heard nothing from them

Once again I ask are Standard Bank " Moving Forward" or " Moving Backward"