METROPOLITAN is accused of unreasonably withholding pension funds, death payouts and making unauthorised debit orders.
But now the financial institution has refunded some of its aggrieved consumers their money.
Teressa Peterson was paid a funeral payout of R7000 she almost lost to her sister-in-law, who never signed up with Metropolitan.
Peterson said she received a call from a Metropolitan representative in 2008. Metropolitan was selling a family funeral plan that she took and on which she included her aunt, who was already pensioned by then.
She paid a monthly premium of R87 without fail. When her aunt died Metropolitan refused to pay out the funds to her and instead said the money had to be claimed by the aunt's former daughter-in-law.
Peterson said the other option was to go to high court to get a letter explaining why Metropolitan should pay the funeral payout to her.
"I do not know how they came to that conclusion when I have been paying the premiums and not the person they thought deserved it," Peterson said.
Consumer Line stepped in and Peterson was paid her R7000 just over a week ago.
Nkosana Ngongwane was also refunded his R8800 Metropolitan had debited from his salary without his permission for the past 22 month.
Ngongwane claimed that someone fraudulently took out funeral cover in 2008 authorising Metropolitan to debit R400 from his salary.
His mother, Lettie, died in 2003 but she was included in the cover and registered as Sindi.
"My daughter was also covered as Bonga and I didn't know whose signature that was but my salary was debited," Ngongwane said.
Consumer Line took up the matter with Metropolitan and the financial institution refunded his money last Tuesday.
Marize Schlusche of Metropolitan said the company's forensic department investigated the allegations of fraud and made a business decision to cancel the policy from entry date and refund all premiums to Ngongwane.
But Ephraim Sebati's complaint was unfounded.
He complained that hehad been battling to recoup the remainder of his pension fund, which Metropolitan had withheld since 2008 when he retired.
Sebati, an erstwhile employee of Wits Univerity, said his problem started after his employer gave staff an option to invest their provident fund with any administrator of their choice.
They had to choose between Sanlam, Metropolitan and Liberty life, he said.
He said most employees chose Metropolitan, but later decided to change as other pensioners complained about slow service in processing pension payouts.
Metropolitan was then ordered to transfer funds to Liberty Life, Some funds were withheld due to legal technicalities, Sebati said.
"When the technicalities were untangled the remaining funds were transferred to Liberty and all pensioners got what was due to them except me," Sebati said.
"Metropilitan accepted that they owed me but have not paid my balance," he said.
Clinton Prins, a public relations and communications manager of Metropolitan employee benefits, said their investigations showed that Sebati was paid all his pension funds.
He said a correction was made to the initial calculation of the transfer benefit and an additional top-up payment was made to Sebati on July 15 2008.
"Both these payments were made into the bank account he gave us," Prins said.
He said Sebati retired from the Fund before the transfer payment was made, the transfer to Liberty Life is no longer applicable in his case.
"His retirement benefit was paid directly to him instead of transferring his benefits to Liberty Life.
"We pride ourselves on our communication levels and frequency, however it seems that in this instance we could have managed the communication elements more effectively.
"I trust that we have shown that the fund has settled the full amount owing in terms of the rules."
Prins said the company was happy to discuss this further if there was any reason why Sebati felt there was any outstanding amount still due to him.
Consumer Line reports that Sebati's money has been collecting interest in his bank account since July 15 2008. On Friday he confirmed that his R186608 was in his bank all these years.
Metropolitan finally refunded us
METROPOLITAN is accused of unreasonably withholding pension funds, death payouts and making unauthorised debit orders.
But now the financial institution has refunded some of its aggrieved consumers their money.
Teressa Peterson was paid a funeral payout of R7000 she almost lost to her sister-in-law, who never signed up with Metropolitan.
Peterson said she received a call from a Metropolitan representative in 2008. Metropolitan was selling a family funeral plan that she took and on which she included her aunt, who was already pensioned by then.
She paid a monthly premium of R87 without fail. When her aunt died Metropolitan refused to pay out the funds to her and instead said the money had to be claimed by the aunt's former daughter-in-law.
Peterson said the other option was to go to high court to get a letter explaining why Metropolitan should pay the funeral payout to her.
"I do not know how they came to that conclusion when I have been paying the premiums and not the person they thought deserved it," Peterson said.
Consumer Line stepped in and Peterson was paid her R7000 just over a week ago.
Nkosana Ngongwane was also refunded his R8800 Metropolitan had debited from his salary without his permission for the past 22 month.
Ngongwane claimed that someone fraudulently took out funeral cover in 2008 authorising Metropolitan to debit R400 from his salary.
His mother, Lettie, died in 2003 but she was included in the cover and registered as Sindi.
"My daughter was also covered as Bonga and I didn't know whose signature that was but my salary was debited," Ngongwane said.
Consumer Line took up the matter with Metropolitan and the financial institution refunded his money last Tuesday.
Marize Schlusche of Metropolitan said the company's forensic department investigated the allegations of fraud and made a business decision to cancel the policy from entry date and refund all premiums to Ngongwane.
But Ephraim Sebati's complaint was unfounded.
He complained that hehad been battling to recoup the remainder of his pension fund, which Metropolitan had withheld since 2008 when he retired.
Sebati, an erstwhile employee of Wits Univerity, said his problem started after his employer gave staff an option to invest their provident fund with any administrator of their choice.
They had to choose between Sanlam, Metropolitan and Liberty life, he said.
He said most employees chose Metropolitan, but later decided to change as other pensioners complained about slow service in processing pension payouts.
Metropolitan was then ordered to transfer funds to Liberty Life, Some funds were withheld due to legal technicalities, Sebati said.
"When the technicalities were untangled the remaining funds were transferred to Liberty and all pensioners got what was due to them except me," Sebati said.
"Metropilitan accepted that they owed me but have not paid my balance," he said.
Clinton Prins, a public relations and communications manager of Metropolitan employee benefits, said their investigations showed that Sebati was paid all his pension funds.
He said a correction was made to the initial calculation of the transfer benefit and an additional top-up payment was made to Sebati on July 15 2008.
"Both these payments were made into the bank account he gave us," Prins said.
He said Sebati retired from the Fund before the transfer payment was made, the transfer to Liberty Life is no longer applicable in his case.
"His retirement benefit was paid directly to him instead of transferring his benefits to Liberty Life.
"We pride ourselves on our communication levels and frequency, however it seems that in this instance we could have managed the communication elements more effectively.
"I trust that we have shown that the fund has settled the full amount owing in terms of the rules."
Prins said the company was happy to discuss this further if there was any reason why Sebati felt there was any outstanding amount still due to him.
Consumer Line reports that Sebati's money has been collecting interest in his bank account since July 15 2008. On Friday he confirmed that his R186608 was in his bank all these years.