Active since Jan 2025
This is a follow-up on the 1st complaint I wrote on the 12th or 11th of May 2026. I indicated in that complaint that I cancelled a new member I wanted to include in the medical aid on the 7th of May, days before GEMS could make the actual funds deduction on the 15th of May 2026, but GEMS nevertheless went ahead and took my money. I then raised this on this platform on the 11th or 12th May, to which GEMS rep**** on the 12th of May, promising to respond to my complaint within the next 7 working days. Today, the 27th May 2026, nothing has come forth from GEMS, no response, no communication, no refund of my money. This shows you the level of disrespect, lack of ethics, and the disdain, that GEMS has towards its customers. No wonder many of the customers/members that one comes across want to leave this non-sense scheme. I had previously written to Hellopeter about Old Mutual and ABSA, and the two companies addressed my complaints in a blink of an eye, showing professionalism and customer service befitting of big organizations that are committed to customer satisfaction. But NOT GEMS, this is an organization that is in business purely for profit motive, undeserved profit if you ask me, because this kind of conduct and behavior, *****ing from poor customers by charging upfront probationary payments, and not refunding monies they did not earn, this points exactly to that, undeserved profits at all costs. GEMS must return my money, my R3500, back into my account as in yesterday, I cannot wait forever for them to return my hard-earned money. I have a family to feed, not that ************ and immoral organization.
I am an employee of the department of education in the Free State, and member of Gems from 2023. Two weeks ago I app**** for my brother to be included in the medical aid, and confirmed that they can apply their 3 months waiting period, meaning they will be deducting some R3500 as monthly membership contributions for my brother alone. Then last week, Thursday on the 7th May, on proper reflection and having found a more cost effective, reasonable medical cover from another service provider, I decided against my earlier decision of Gems cover, and went to Gems offices in Bloemfontein to cancel that medical cover for my brother, and I effected the cancellation. But I was informed that the cover will not be effective immediately, as the application has to serve 2 months' notice until end of June 2026. This actually means that Gems has to deduct about R3500 monthly for 2 months, beginning the 15th of May 2026, a deduction which will total about R7000, and amount which I do not even know that it will be refunded. This does not make sense in any way as my brother was not a member of Gems, he was only on application and still had to wait for 3 months' probation period before he could become a qualified beneficiary for medical provision. So there's no rationale for Gems to want to deduct these two contributions, citing them as notice period, for an applicant who was actually not a qualifying beneficiary before the three months of probation period. This is something I cannot accept and demand that Gems cancel the deduction for effective immediately before the 15th of this month which is this Friday. There is no reasonable cause for their impending action, as my brother is not an already existing beneficiary.
I do not what is the problem with SA financial services institutions. I bank with ABSA, and have a cheque account with them. On the 26th March 2026, I tried to purchase some items for R160.00, using my bank card, at EMAGENES Health Shop in Bloemfontein, and their Nedbank swiping machine showed that the transaction declined. But, however, my bank App was showing that the amount went through, i.e the amount went out of my available balance. I then went to an ABSA branch at Waterfront Mall in Bloemfontein, and was advised by an employee at their customer care that I must wait until the shop does their books or bookkeeping, something like that. I went back to the same ABSA branch on the 10th of April 2026 as the amount is still showing on my Bank App that it was uncleared. The lady then phoned the head office or something, and I spoke with the consultant at the other end, and he promised that my money would be returned to my cheque account in about 24 to 48 hours. Still today the money is still showing in the App as uncleared, and I am still waiting for a small amount of R160 to be redirected so that I can be able to access it, no explanation or anything has been coming forth from ABSA since my last interaction with them on the 10th April 2026, and I was promised 24 to 48 hours. I need my money back into my account, as I need to use it. I don't know what is the problem with ABSA, how do we trust it with big amount if it fails to handle a small matter like a R160.00 My Name: T****so Molebatsi Acc type: Cheque
OLD MUTUAL AT IT AGAIN. This is a follow-up of the review I wrote about Old Mutual not paying my refund after disinvesting with them, it is now 32 working days and counting, and /or 45 calendar days since I cancelled this policy. In all honesty there is no justification for clients or customers to be disrespected and disregarded in this way by Old Mutual. The only thing to conclude here is that Old Mutual has in its employ very very arrogant people who are hellbent on driving this Giant of a company into the ground. I wonder if they even know what the real business of Old Mutual is, and let me tell them that the real business of Old Mutual is not the financial products that are offered there, the real business of Old Mutual is its customers and clients, respecting and taking care of its customers, and in this way this Giant a company will be able to retain its current customers and attract some new ones. It's a shame that these arrogant and clueless employees are busy landing serious fatal blows to Old Mutual's reputation, it might not be apparent or important to them now, but they must know that they are taking down this Giant piece by piece. Many people are complaining about Old Mutual, and it is just a matter of time before this begins to translate in the decline in real business (customers/clients). I was previously made to wait for a year before I could be refunded, and now I am on 45 calendar days and counting. It's unfortunate that clueless people/employees motivated by incompetence and naked pride and arrogance, choose to destroy this prestigious company which had served South Africa with pride and distinction. It does not also assist that the CEO is not accessible, I know of many CEOs of big companies who are very accessible to the public. 45 CALENDAR DAYS.... 32 WORKING DAYS....... AND STILL COUNTING. . How much more reputational damage and harm can this Giant stomach and sustain ? NB. The PROBLEM lies with the Head Office and Not the Branch Offices. At the Branch Offices employees go the extra mile to assist and respect the customer.
OLD MUTUAL MUST REFUND ME ON TIME. I wish to remind Old Mutual that they are not going to repeat what they did last year to me when they paid back my refund money after a year. On the 18th of October 2025 this year (ref CEB2510144203), I closed an investment policy (number 1950 5648) which I had with them. So on that date they had already deducted my monthly contributions, and also deducted this month 15 November 2025, therefore I am expecting them to refund me this amount. But however I have not received any refund relating the October deduction and it's a month now since I officially disinvested or cancelled the policy, and I also want the November amount to be paid this month. I expect no further deductions from my salary towards this policy as the matter should be deemed closed in so far as the cancellation is concerned as Old Mutual has given me an official letter to that effect. Therefore I do not want to experience what I experienced the last time around when it took Old Mutual a year to refund me, and only because of the intervention of this platform, I no longer has trust in them to act professionally. So please Old Mutual must pay my refund for October month immediately and the November refund. T****so Molebatsi
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