Sandleni – Residents of Sandleni who are frustrated with unresolved banking issues have been advised not to suffer in silence or rush to hire lawyers.
During a recent outreach by the Central Bank of Eswatini (CBE) at Sandleni Inkhundla, the bank’s representative, Raymond Masimula, informed the community about the services of the Ombudsman Office, which offers a free and fair dispute resolution process for individuals and small businesses.
The Ombudsman Office operates under the Central Bank and assists banking customers, including businesses with an annual turnover not exceeding E2 million, to resolve complaints they feel were not properly addressed by their banks.
Masimula explained that the process begins when a customer submits a complaint directly to their bank. If no satisfactory resolution is provided, the customer can then write to the Ombudsman via email (ombudsman@centralbank.org.sz).
Once a complaint is lodged, the Ombudsman Office contacts the relevant bank and gives it seven days to respond. If the matter remains unresolved, both parties are called to present their cases before the Ombudsman issues a final ruling.
However, the office only accepts cases that meet specific criteria: the business turnover must not exceed E2 million, complaints must be lodged within two years of the issue arising, and the matter must not be under the jurisdiction of another regulator or already before a court—though exceptions may apply.
Discussion about this post