Standard Bank - Unsympathetic to Clients Financial Predicament Post Covid-19

Being self-employed and affected with business disruption during Covid-19 and post Covid-19 has affected my financial standing substantially. During the time of lockdown we utilised our savings contingencies to support our family, which lead to our savings being depleted. With Lockdown being extended we had no alternative but to utilise my credit facilities. With the country's economy being at its lowest and business being as low in the Real Estate sector, I had no option being the breadwinner to my family, but to find main stream work due business being at its lowest. I requested Standard Bank’s assistance to pay 50% on my home loan, and have reached a stage, that I have to sell my Primary home due to affordability. I contacted Standard Bank Debt Care Centre to afford me a further 3 months to sell my home, as I put my home on the market in late Nov-21, with Christmas and the New Year, we only started get viewings from end of Jan-22. The Standard Bank Debt Care Consultant called me yesterday to inform that because Standard Bank have assisted me on two previous occasions, and the mandate is only to assist once. I further informed the SB Debt Care Consultant that not all clients financial predicament are the same, and should the Standard Bank not evaluate each client respectively, rather than apply a generic rule being “ that after 3 months and should you have had previous assistance, then you don’t qualify for assistance”. I further informed that this is my final stage, and I am requesting for only a further 3 month 50% payment option till I finalise the sale of my home. The SB Debt Care Consultant informed that she hears my plight, but will have to forward to Strategy for a decision. I have been a client with Standard Bank for more than 30 years and never had I been in a financial predicament such as this. I am not a client that is sitting back, I am making arrangements to settle my debt , and I am in main stream employment, but I am trying to survive financially, should Standard Bank not consider my plight and my proactive approach to want settle my debt, rather than make my financial plight more difficult and cripple me financially.