Neville Melville, the new independent banking adjudicator, is getting ready
to help you with problems that you have with your bank.
Melville, who is the executive director of the Independent Complaints
Directorate, takes up his new position from May 1. For the last few months,
after the retirement of Charl Cilliers, acting adjudicator David John has
been holding the fort.
Melville is an advocate and started his career in law as a prosecutor and
was later a member of the attorney-general`s staff in Natal.
Before starting the Independent Complaints Directorate in 1996, he had for
some years been a police reporting officer appointed under the National
Peace Accord.
Melville`s appointment is the result of a lengthy selection process
undertaken by the Banking Adjudicator`s Commission, a panel consisting of
representatives of the Department of Finance, Trade and Industry, the
Financial Services Board, the Consumer Institute of South Africa, the
National Consumer Forum and three bankers.
The previous adjudicator was appointed by the Banking Council, the
representative body of the banks and the adjudicator`s independence was
questioned by some. This is the first time that consumer bodies have had a
say in the appointment of the adjudicator.
You can take your complaint to the adjudicator if you are an individual or
if you have a small business with a turnover of less than R3 million a
year. The maximum claim you can make is R500 000.
In terms of the new Code of Banking Practice which came into effect at the
beginning of this month, complaints must first be referred back to the bank
to be settled within a limited time. If you are still unhappy, the
adjudicator can make a ruling or a recommendation. If a bank does not
accept a ruling made by the adjudicator, it can appeal to a panel,
consisting of three retired high court judges. If you are still
unsatisfied, you can follow the legal route through the courts.
The telephone number for the office of the banking adjudicator is 011
838-0035 and the fax number is 011 838-0043.