Concern Regarding Reckless Lending and Lack of Response

I am extremely disappointed in the manner in which my accounts with Woolworths South Africa have been handled.

Despite earning a net salary of approximately R12,484 per month, multiple credit facilities were granted to me, including:

* A personal loan of approximately R56,000 * An instore account of R19320 outstanding * A credit card with an outstanding balance of approximately R42,000

Over time, I found myself relying on my instore account simply to purchase basic necessities such as food, which clearly indicated that I was already under financial strain.

The loan facility was pre-approved and allowed continuous access to funds without any meaningful reassessment of affordability. Instead of assisting my financial situation, the continued extension of credit caused me to fall progressively deeper into debt.

I also had an internal payment arrangement in place on my credit card account, which was accepted. Despite this, the account was handed over to Nimble Group without prior notification.

I formally disputed the matter with Woolworths on 18 March 2026 and raised concerns regarding affordability assessments and possible reckless lending. To date, I have received no acknowledgment or response from Woolworths.

However, I have since received a Section 129 notice from the third-party collector while my dispute remains unresolved.

As a customer, I find it deeply concerning that:

* Multiple credit facilities were granted without realistic affordability consideration; * No response has been provided to a formal dispute; * Collection processes continued despite the matter being under dispute.

I have now escalated the matter to the National Credit Regulator for formal investigation.

I hope Woolworths will urgently engage with this matter and provide a fair and responsible resolution.