Residents were alarmed on 14 November when a bakkie drove around World Wear Shopping Centre with a banner shaming First National Bank (FNB) – with a backdrop of a banner shaming Cell C.
The banner read, In the interest of the public, FNB’s slogan sucks. When FNB stole, lied in High Court and committed fraud. I asked for help… no help given!
The banner created by Nico Niemand carries images of FNB personnel who allegedly did not respond to any of Niemand’s correspondence.
The FNB employees are Michael Jordaan, Johan Burger, Ben van der Ross, Sizwe Nxasana, Laurie Dippenaar, Paul Harris, Viv Bartlett and Jan Kleynhans.
According to Niemand, FNB lies in their slogan, How can we help you?, because he has not received any help from the bank.
“How Can We Help you? Not in my case. Not the FNB Care Hotline, not the CEO of home loans, Jan Kleynhans and not the CEO of FNB, Michael Jordaan at any time during my nightmare dealings with FNB, lived up to the ‘so-called’ promise relayed to the public in all their advertising campaigns,” said Niemand.
This fuming resident said FNB stole over R500 000 from him, and has been the cause of his now deteriorating health, financial insecurity and total loss of trust in the financial institution.
“My property was sold on auction on 10 December 2009 for an amount of R272 000. This while I had an offer of R735 000 and the purchaser had provided proof to FNB of the availability of his funds. I had bargained on the about R500 000 that I would receive from the proceeds to sort out my life and make sure all my other bond payments on the other properties are up to date.”
He informed that the bank tried to sell two of his other properties but failed.
“I was treated not just unfairly, but like a criminal. And I want people out there to know that their promises are empty, and it takes very little for them to turn on you like vultures, not giving a damn about what their actions may do to you and your families.”
Niemand has been driving around with the trailer since last year.
He informed that he is in the process of organising a criminal case against FNB.
Shaun Chelin, head FNB Legal, however said, “Mr Niemand approached FNB in 1999 with a product known as ‘Talking Windows’. He now seeks substantial damages from FNB for business dealings that failed to materialise in subsequent years and in particular in 2010.”
According to Chelin, no formal claim has been presented to FNB through legal channels or via an impartial party such as the Banking Ombudsman.
“We have held meetings with him to resolve the matter and have fully investigated his complaints. We can find no merit in his allegations,” said Chelin.
