Answer
Yes, South Africa’s banking ombudsman is called the Ombudsman for Banking Service (OBS) and is currently headed up by Advocate Neville Mellville. As a Section 21 company (non-profit organisation), the OBS acts independently and objectively in dealing with unresolved complaints between a clients and his or her bank.

Dedicated to impartiality, fairness and confidentiality, the OBS is supported by the major banking institutions including Capitec Bank. It resolves both technical and service disputes using the law and banking industry codes and guidelines.

The OBS can handle a complaint if:

• The client has, without success, raised the complaint with the bank

• The client has obtained or tried to obtain a complaint reference number from the bank

• The complaint concerns the bank’s own products or services or advice given by the bank’s own staff regarding its own or another institution’s products

• There has been misadministration on the part of the bank leading to some significant loss, distress or inconvenience

• As a small business, partnership, association, trust or closed corporation the client does not have a turnover exceeding R5-million per annum

• The claim is not more than R800 000

Please note the following when lodging a complaint with the OBS:

• The complaint must be in writing

• The complaint must have been formally lodged with the bank and the client (you) must be unhappy with the response

• The bank’s official complaint reference number must be quoted as evidence that the complaint has been lodged

• Your full contact details must be supplied.

• Tel: 0860 800 900 or 011 838 0035/8/9

• Fax: +27 11 838 0043

• Email: info@obssa.co.za

• Postal address:

  The Ombudsman for Banking Services
  PO Box 5728
  Johannesburg
  2000
  

• Website: www.obssa.co.za

On page two: Why is it so difficult to cancel or amend a debit order? What must you do? Sbu answers another reader's question...

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