ABSA Bank
Reviews and Complaints

Hi,
It appears that your Amanzimtoti branch is understaffed and has been for a while.

It is month end and the business teller/bulk teller has just one person/employee inside. The line is backed up and one has to wait a long time to get in.

It is prudent to revise what appears to be budget cuts with regards to manpower.

This is a frequent occurance at this particular branch and gives the impression that the consumer ease of banking is not considered at all. In the end it comes down to service delivery.

The bulk tellers that are usually here are assisting at the normal deposits and withdrawals counters.

Feedback will be appreciated.

Regards,
Shaun Malek

Your institution today took R24000 from my account with not so much as a phine call or payment arrangement, if I owe money please contact me to make arrangements and I will gladly comply, however what you have done is fraudulent, and goes against the NCPA. I require the funds returned as those are needed to cover monthly expenses, I have 2 children to care for and you have stolen food from their mouth. If this is ABSA ethos I'm sorry I joined you bank. I expect to be contacted and the matter rectified immediately as you will leave me no other choice but to look into legal action.

Thank you

Juanita

On Friday 26th October profile was locked I went into Absa Mall of the North ro unlock profile and in the process got a new card.After this I lost all my beneficiaries on my bank.I went to Absa Mall of the North the profile was a mess the employee assisted to load benefisiaries took 2 hours.Today 30th October I phoned Absa Telephone banking to pay my accounts tge problem is as follows according to operator : Driver card 1425 cannot see 0855 New Beneficiary bridge.Please urgently contact me(Leon [protected])as I cannot work on cellphone banking app

Today shortly after 9am I phoned my branch to ask for a Tax Certificate.
I was told in a very unfriendly way that I would have to come into the bank and present my ID to get a copy as the original certificate had been sent out in July.
However when I told my husband, he suggested that at his bank he can get Tax Statements from their online site
He then helped me download the statement from the ABSA site and I can now complete my Tax Return timeously
I just can not understand why your Telephone Service Agent could not have told me this was possible and been less officious.
Sincerely
MRS S A Purdue
email: shirley.[protected]@gmail.com

Phone me on my cell nr [protected] and I will tell you how [censored] absa service is. Most unwilling lazy company i've ever had to dealt with¡!

I applied for credit card several days, ago. Received various emails requesting docs. Confirmed via telephone alk was ok. Phoned 22/10, was told that there was old personal loan holding my applucation back. Was told it would be escalated to be removed, as this was paid up long ago. Phoned 23/10, was told then I had to request paid up letter which will take further 7-10 days. Again, my approved credit card application now have to wait, because absa employees dont to their work. Phoned 3 times today (29/10) with promises of managers that will 0noe back with feedback. At 16:15 when I phonrd, the "manager" already went hom, with no feedback, and your system have still not been updated!

Please just tell me whether abswant to give me a, credit card or not. But please do not keep me on a string the whole time.

My cell nr [protected]

While been hospitalized, I called the call center on 2 occasions and was told they could not assist me i had to go into a branch and they would help me. On the 6th of October i went into the Absa branch at Traderoute mall and requested they do a reversal and put a stop order, on a debit order going off my account, because i have cancelled it with the relevant company yet they still debiting me, i was assured by a consultant at the customer service section in the bank that this was done. However to date i have received 3 sms that the DEBIT ORDER IS UNPAID please fund your account.
This is very upsetting reason been if a stop order was put in place how are they still debiting me, and should money go into my account at the end of the month then I will have to pay for all those failed transactions, which is not accepted especially with the fact that i came into the bank to have this done.
I would like proof that this has been resolved with immediate effect as well as i will not pay any extra charges for something i was assured has been resolved, and i want a refund of any money that has been debited of my account from Zone Fitness, they should be blocked from trying to debit my account.

Please send proof or contact me on
[protected]
[protected]@gmail.com

We purchased our home in 2005 and ABSA are our bond grantee. We did all the medicals etc so were under the impression all was well. Until my husband passed away in April 2018. I was told by ABSA that he has no Life Insurance. Upon investigation it seems they sent him letters confirming that they required additional medical information. Strange thing none of these letters were ever received, Apparently 1 sent December 2005 and another 29 December 2005 then letters confirming that the cover couldn't be activated due to non compliance in January 2006 and again in November 2006. During this time no telephone calls were received to advise that they haven't received any feedback from us whats happening, according to them they just treated it as NPW (not Proceeded with). How can they not follow up with a telephone call to a client especially when something so critically vital as life insurance on a bond is required.

I have now requested copies of the so called "letters" and was told they cant supply them because they were destroyed? I ask you with tears in my blue eyes how the hell. When everything today is electronic, you not have an electronic copy of this vital document saved on my profile.

When logging into my husband online profile, it clearly stated, all his accounts that were active inclusive of the Bond, Homeowners Insurance and Life Insurance on the Bond, There is no insureds name noted but there is a value. ABSA is saying that the Insured life is for me Mrs. How the hell can you note the life insurance of someone else on his profile?

I recently purchased a house that was repossesed by ABSA only to find that the COC was falsified.The transfer was done on the 27 september 2018 and I moved in on the 01 October 2018.
The seller has declined contractor's qoute claiming it was too high and he got one that could only sell him the CoC.some plugs and lights were not working.
I travelled for a week to wait for him to send people but no one came.I went to eskom myself for them to come and verify what the problem was.They did their part and now I am still waiting for the contractor to come.

I have an Absa Personal Loan and Absa Creditcard. During September I was informed that I am being retrenched, I went to Absa Sinoville straight away. On 21/09/2018 the lady at Absa Sinoville submitted all the documents to start the retrenchment claim procedure. Absa did not contact me back. On 08/10/2018 I send in the documents again. Still no feedback. On 10/10/2018 I contacted Absa Credit Life. They informed me they did not receive the mail from 21/09/2018 only mine from 08/10/2018 and it takes 10 to 14 working days to sort out the credit life. In the meantime the credit card people called me.. I informed them that I am retrenched and did not get paid a salary. On Saturday 20/10/2018 my retrenchment monies pays out. Straight away absa deducted their monies. I emailed credit life again on 22/10/2018 to ask what is happening. Still no feedback today and it is more than 24 hours after my last email. Why must I pay for a fraudulent product? Because they just take your money but des not do what they promise. I am so upset, I am thinking of changing banks. This is not the first problem we have with Absa. Please tell me why ABSA does not return emails. Not even absa complaints department.

ABSA Ben Swartstreet, Pretoria
I did a sim swop during the week and kept the same number. I locked into my account and after the third time realised that my account was blocked. I called Absa online tonight 22 October at about 19:00. A lady asked met some ITC question very fast in English. thereafter she said it was fine but she told me three times that she couldn't find my account. She put me through to another lady who asked question very fast and in English. She said I failed the question. A third lady also aked question and said I failed. I answered all the question as correct as possible from what I heard from them. Questions like: how much do you pay MTN monthly - I don't have a contract, Do you have a property on your name- yes, Are you working at a university - yes, do you pay a Woolworths account- no I dont have one. Do you pay DD? Attorneys - no, I dont know them... When did you husband pay with his card and at which tore - I don't know, he is in the bushveld without signal. Goodness gratious, how will I on purpose answer the questions wrong. I am an academic. I think the questions are stupid.

I needed to pay my water and electricity account, telephone account, pay for my vehicles broken immobiliser and needed to enroll for a race. I don't have money on my cellphone and needed to put money on. Your stupid bank system has blocked my account.

I want you to call me 21 October between 11:30 and 12:00 to sort this problem out. I am working in Pretoria west and do contract work where I am paid hourly. You can come and double check my id book there.

Please urgently attend to this problem. If you don't give a prompt feedback this account and all investments will be closed after 30 years.

Carma
[protected]

We have a Liberty Life Insurance Policy which had been cessioned in favour of ABSA. It was however cancelled by ABSA on 5 December 2008. The policy number ([protected]) on the cancellation letter however is wrong. It should be [protected]. Please see attached documents. We have written several letters to the branch in Pongola regarding this, but nothing has been done. Please can you assist us with this problem, because should the owner of this policy die, ABSA will be responsible for the problems caused. Please, please can you resolve this issue asap. If not I will have to take further steps.

I visited ABSA the Grove on 16 October to order Euros for my upcoming trip. I did not want 100 Euro denominations and requested 50's 20's and 10's. I indicated that I would come and collect it on 18 October. On the morning of 18 October Reniloe phoned me to indicated that 'they' did not deliver the foreign currency on the 17 th and that I should come on Friday or Saturday.

I find this unacceptable! This is the first time that I had to wait so long for Euros! It is quit a common currency and as an ABSA customer ordering forex from an ABSA branch, it should not take 3 business days!

On the 30th of September I tried to withdraw R3000 from my account through an ATM in Kempton Park and there was a system error so I couldn't withdraw, but there was an SMS confirming withdrawal, a few minutes after another SMS came through confirming reversal. I moved to a different ATM(NedBank ) I successfully withdrew R3000, to my surprise the balance didn't show the reversed amount. I called the absa call centre for assistance, and I spoke to a lady that told me I had to go to a absa Branch for reversal. When I couldn't find a open absa Branch I called the call centre again, this time I spoke to Solomon who told me the information I received the first time around from the call centre was false he then opened a case for me(3632545). From then I never heard anything from absa until I went to a absa Branch in Richards bay where I got assistance from a lady who cared enough to trace and follow my case. On the 4th of October I received an SMS from absa confirm my R3000 to have been restored to my account. On the 12th of October I tried to make purchase using my absa bank card and it was declined saying there was no money in my account, I just ignored and bought using cash. Later that day my work deposited R750 into my account for fuel. In the morning on the 13th I filled up my car, to my surprise when I tried to pay using my card the balance on the card was 0.00 I called the call centre and they were not help full at all. I was then left stranded with a full tank that I couldn't pay for. I had to call someone to come to the filling station with money to pay for the fuel. When I got to Mandeni I went into an absa Branch where they told me the money that I thought I had was debited by absa action line because they had made a mistake of paying my account 2 times. Now my question is if that was the case, why was I not notified of this ? What gives absa the right to debit on my account without my consent ? Is this what I'm supposed to expect from a bank of absa's caliber?

Hi.

Settled my credit card on 12 September 2018 and requested a closure letter and paid up letter confirm the account has been closed.

24 September 2018 a credit amount was paid. After numerous phone calls and emails the credit amount was paid back to me on 16 October 2018.

I still require a paid up letter confirming account is closed.

Please advice.

Regards.

Johan van Vuuren

I went to ABSA Table View yesterday to ask how can I get my monthly fees on my tjek account.
1) Mr Siyabonga Sontlaba first told me, sorry there was nothing he could do.
2) Then... he suggested that may be, ... to rather change my account to a savings account! WOW! it was only cost me R25 per month.
3) Of course I told him that it was a perfect option.
4) He said he need my ID book and then he will do it immediately. Without delay, I went home and took it to him.
5) He changed it and I was very satisfy.
BUT
What Mr Siyabonga didn't tell me was:
1) That by closing my account in the middle of the month ABSA is going to take the R285? straight away off my balance and left me only with about R40.
2) What upset me, is that he had my balance in front of him, knowing that I can't afford it now, and didn't tell me to rather wait and come back at the end of the month.
3) When I phone him this morning, he kept on saying that he can't do anything for me now.
a) can't reverse it till the end of the month.
b) wasting my airtime, while he knows my situation, and keep on telling me, he
gave me good service and it is standard procedure of the bank.
I FELT HE DID IT ON PURPOSE BECAUSE HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT MY SITUATION WAS.
I am a customer since I was 18 years old. I am 55 now.

I WANT YOU TO GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK, AND ONLY TAKE IT OFF THE END OF THE MONTH.

Regards.
Elize

My husband and I went to Absa Bank in Promenade Mitchells Plain on the 15 October 2018. My husband is currently in a wheel chair for the first time and needed to do some banking. I entered the bank at 15:10 and left my husband by the revolving doors. I looked for the security as I wanted him to open the side door so my husband could enter. No security was in sight at that time and I proceeded to the shortest queue which was information. At the information counter there was 1 person and the bank official Justice. Justice could see my husband standing at the revolving doors as the information counter faces the revolving doors. When Justice and his client almost were done, I interrupted him and asked him if he could open the door for my husband that is in a wheel chair. Justice informed me that he is busy with a client and will attend to me when I am done. He informed me that the staff member needs to accompany my husband. This I kind of understood as he was busy with a client, having a prolonged conversation, while my husband sat in his wheelchair like a dog outside the bank. Eventually the security came pass and I assumed he asked security to open the door. This conversation was done in Xhosa. To my surprised the security never went to open the door instead proceeded to the consultant named Shereen. When i asked when are they opening the door Justice informed me that the staff member needs to bring my husband inside. Soon afterwards the security came back and told me that they cannot open the door as the bank is about to close. I demanded that I speak to someone that gave that instruction. At this time Shereen came out and told me that the bank is closed. I informed her that the bank will close in 5 minutes and my husband has been waiting outside for the past 15 minutes. She tried to interrupt me and I never allowed her an opportunity, and explained that I have been inside the bank at 3:10 and have been looking for someone to open the door for my husband in a wheelchair for the past 15 minutes. She mentioned that there was a misunderstanding she though I needed to use there wheelchair. I told her that it was a poor excuse as from where we stood everyone could see my husband sitting by the revolving doors in his wheelchair . That time I pointed him out to her and she could see him sitting there. This is no excuse for how the staff treated my husband. Eventually they let the dog in and he done his banking . When we arrived at home, my husband ended up in tears. He said he felt so helpless and was scared. Imagine he was robbed while sitting and waiting when I was looking for someone to open the door. Imagine every single person with disability that gets this treatment. Pathetic coming from ABSA bank. In all honesty I intend to publish to raise awareness that this is how Absa staff strips a disabled person of their dignity.

I applied for funeral and life cover with ABSA online as I lived overseas.
The first policy [protected] was opened on 01-04-2017. I made a mistake with my grandfathers year of birth, and requested an amendment. They told me that they are unable to do this on their system. But they WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THE MONEY I HAVE TO PAY FOR HIM.
Upon realizing this, I requested an official letter stating all my beneficiaries and they still have not sent that. Instead I was told to open A SECOND FUNERAL POLICY ([protected] opened on 01-11-2017) WITH HIS CORRECT DATE OF BIRTH.
I have done this, but I still have not received any letter confirming that I am covered. When I went back home to South Africa, I even called them at the Newcastle branch. They still have not called me back. I am concerned that I might not even be able to claim from both life covers even though I have been paying them for more than a year.

Went to Bank 9.30am 11/10/2018 waited patiently for Bulk Teller eventually
it got to 10.30 still no Joy...then stood in Queue for Normal Tellers...when I got
there to be told I must wait for other Teller because she did not have enough
change. While I was waiting Bulk Teller became available. I must admit he was
covered in Change from Top to bottom.
One of the Bulk Tellers was on as a Cashier. They did explain this to me.
In all our 18 years in business this is the first time I am actually complaining.

I cannot afford to wait that is why we use Bulk Teller.

Three(3) months ago on 11 July 2018, I made an application for a readvance on my bond. Today, 9 October 2018, I get asked, for the 3rd time, to submit a fresh set of application forms and copies of both ID ( my wife and mine). I was also requested to submit new copies of my bank statement( which I dare has improved tremendously and would've looked impressive). I will not be submitting any of these documents as the person/s who dealt with the matter clearly is not interested in my business which I have been doing with Absa for the past 24 years. They now find it necessary to ask me to submit a third st of documents to process the business.
Guess what? I will be doing business elsewhere, coz ABSA DEFINITELY DOES NOT NEED MY LITTLE BUSINESS. The best part is that I am not desperate for your money, so tough luck Absa, you lose out on quite a nice returns you could've earned...

ABSA: 14-YEAR OLD CREDIT CARD VS. 4-YEAR OLD BANK ACCOUNT?
13 September 2018: I applied for a loan / revolving credit / overdraft / credit card with ABSA, my bank, only to find out that I apparently already have an existing credit card = no less than 14 years old. Sitting on the system. Under debt counselling / review.

No statements.
No phone calls.

I closed my ABSA account AT THE BRANCH, approximately 17 years ago. I walked over to Nedbank, and opened an account there. I had had quite enough, that day, of ABSA.

4 years ago I opened a savings account at ABSA in Kempton Park.
Not a word was mentioned about a credit card being on my name.

I've been with ABSA all this time.
Not a word was mentioned about a credit card being on my name.

Not until the day I walked into Lucky Mokobane's office, asking for credit from my bank.

It was Lucky who got Tinyiko Makhubela on the line, at the card division. She told me to email contact card, which I did.

I demanded the signature for the card, where it was spent, and when. If It was me, I wanted proof. Having had my bag stolen out of my car around that time, I was worried about identity fraud.

A week later: Nothing.

I called. I emailed.
Nothing.

I finally got an email back from Sebolelo Snail, who I (till today) cannot reach.

I called again.

I got through to Phulani Motapa (but I was told later she is Phulani Mosia?). She assured me that

1) There was a note on the system, put there by Tinyiko, stating that the card was being removed from my name
2) That my reference number for the call / card being closed was ********** ********** 00
3) That this was being resolved expediently, and to not worry.

I then emailed Lucky, thrilled. Letting him know I would be through soon, as this card has damaged my chances for any assistance from ABSA.

2 days later I called again.
I eventually ended up at both your Auckland Park branch, and your head office, trying to track Tinyiko Makhubela. Why can no one find this woman?

I finally tracked Phulani down again, who didn't speak to me, but told me via the consultant I was talking to that she would email Tinyiko.

In fact, 3 separate consultants insisted that they were emailing Tinyiko to call me, but that no one could give me her 1) number 2) email.
HR at your head office has her listed as Auckland Park. They've never heard of her.

I finally got through to Solange and her boss, Lorraine.
Now I believe the card and my query are under investigation and it will take 21 working days.

What about me, the client?
What about my credit worthiness with ABSA, and the help I need?

How could this have remained under wraps for 14 YEARS?

This is completely unfair, and unacceptable practice.

I don't want to wait 21 days.
I want answers.
ABSA has had 14 Years to resolve this.

I don't have a bank, as things currently stand.
I certainly don't have service.

I do, however, have one brilliant consultant, by the name of Lucky Mokobane.
He calls to check on the progress.
He takes an interest in his clients.

ABSA puts a card on your name for 14 years and destroys your credit chances with them - but they don't tell you about it.

No matter how many times I call or forward the emails to ABSA: NOTHING. No answers.
What I got today: The matter is with Legal.
And?
Nothing further.

I hung up, horribly frustrated and near tears.

Maybe Lucky should start his own bank. At least people will get service.