Complaints Policy

1. Our commitment

Wisani is committed to treating customers and their families fairly, respectfully and with care. We take complaints seriously because they help us correct individual outcomes, identify recurring problems and improve our products and services.

We will:

• make it free and reasonably easy to complain;
• listen without prejudice or retaliation;
• acknowledge, investigate and decide complaints fairly;
• consider all relevant information and the circumstances of the complainant;
• communicate in plain language and keep the complainant informed;
• give clear reasons for our decision;
• carry out agreed remedies without undue delay; and
• explain internal and external escalation options.

2. Scope and responsible entities

This policy applies to complaints about products, services or conduct involving:

In this policy, “Wisani”, “we”, “us” or “our” means Wisani Burial Society CC and/or Wisani Administrators CC, as the context requires.

You do not need to identify the legally responsible entity before complaining. Submit the complaint to Wisani using any channel in section 7. We will register it, identify the appropriate owner and, where necessary, refer it to King Price Life or another responsible party. We will tell you who is handling it and remain available to help with the process.

3. Purpose of this policy

This policy is intended to:

• provide a transparent and accessible complaint process;
• support fair customer outcomes and the Treating Customers Fairly principles;
• comply with applicable financial-services, insurance, consumer-protection and privacy requirements;
• ensure complaints are categorised, investigated, escalated and decided consistently;
• identify root causes and improve products, services and controls; and
• make appropriate ombud and regulatory escalation routes visible.

This policy is informed by the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 2002 and its General Code of Conduct, the Policyholder Protection Rules under the Long-term Insurance Act 52 of 1998, the Financial Sector Regulation Act 9 of 2017, the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 and other applicable law.

4. What is a complaint?

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction made to Wisani, or to a service provider or representative acting for Wisani, about a product, service, decision, action, omission or conduct where the complainant alleges or indicates that:

• Wisani, its representative or a relevant product supplier has contravened or failed to comply with an agreement, law, rule, code or duty;
• an act or omission was negligent, intentional, unfair or unreasonable and caused or may cause harm, loss, distress or substantial inconvenience; or
• the complainant has been treated unfairly.

A complaint can be made verbally or in writing and does not need to use the word “complaint”. A request for information, routine service request or claim is not automatically a complaint, but becomes one if the person expresses dissatisfaction with the service, handling, delay, decision or outcome.

Examples include dissatisfaction about:

• the design, price, premium, fee, benefit or terms of a product or service;
• marketing, information, disclosures, advice or the sales process;
• an application, policy, beneficiary or membership record;
• premium collection, payment allocation, arrears, lapse or reinstatement;
• policy access, amendments, cancellation, replacement or transfer;
• service at a branch, pay point, call centre or digital channel;
• funeral arrangements, products, transport, suppliers or service quality;
• delays, poor communication or staff conduct;
• a claim, supporting-document request, claim delay, benefit calculation, repudiation or non-payment;
• the way a previous complaint was handled;
• privacy, direct marketing or personal-information processing; or
• suspected fraud, misconduct, discrimination or a conflict of interest.

5. Who may complain?

A complaint may be made by:

• a current, former or prospective policyholder or customer;
• a policy member, dependant, beneficiary, nominee, claimant or competent person for a child;
• an authorised representative, family member, legal representative or deceased estate;
• a person affected by Wisani's funeral services or conduct;
• a supplier or service provider where the complaint concerns a customer outcome; or
• another person with a sufficient interest in the matter.

We may ask a representative for proof of authority. This is to protect confidential and personal information, not to create an unreasonable barrier. If the complainant has died or cannot act, we will apply reasonable verification suited to the circumstances.

6. No charge, retaliation or unreasonable barrier

Wisani will not charge a fee for using its complaint process. We will not cancel a policy, refuse a service or disadvantage a person merely because they complained in good faith.

We will provide reasonable assistance to people who have difficulty submitting a complaint because of language, literacy, disability, bereavement, age, financial hardship, access to technology or another vulnerable circumstance. A complainant may ask for help at a branch or through the contact channels below.

7. How to submit a complaint

7.1 Primary complaints channel

Written complaints are encouraged because they create a clear record, but Wisani will assist in recording a verbal complaint. A complaint given to a Wisani employee, representative, branch or authorised service channel must be passed to the complaints function for registration.

7.2 What to include

Please provide as much of the following as reasonably possible:

• your full name and contact details;
• your policy, membership, claim, payment or reference number;
• your relationship to the policyholder, member, claimant or deceased person;
• what happened, including relevant dates, locations and people involved;
• why you are dissatisfied;
• copies of relevant receipts, messages, forms, letters, photographs or other evidence;
• the outcome or remedy you would consider fair; and
• any urgent deadline, funeral date, vulnerability or accessibility need.

Do not delay submitting a complaint because one item is unavailable. We will tell you if further information is reasonably necessary.

8. Our complaint process

Step 1 — Receive and register

We record the complaint, the date received, the people and product involved, the subject matter, supporting information and the outcome requested. We give it a unique reference number.

If the matter is urgent — for example, it could affect an imminent funeral, an immediate claim payment, a vulnerable person or a serious risk of harm — we will prioritise and escalate it.

Step 2 — Acknowledge and allocate

We aim to acknowledge a complaint within two business days. The acknowledgement will, where available:

• confirm the reference number;
• identify the person or team handling the complaint;
• explain the next steps and expected timeframe;
• request any reasonably necessary information; and
• explain how to ask for internal escalation.

We allocate the complaint to the entity or function best placed to investigate it. If it concerns King Price Life, another product supplier, representative or service provider, we may refer relevant information to that party and coordinate the response where appropriate. We will tell you about a material referral.

Step 3 — Investigate fairly

The complaint handler will take reasonable steps to gather and consider relevant information. This may include:

• the application, policy, membership, payment, claim and funeral-service records;
• applicable terms, disclosures, scripts, mandates and legal requirements;
• call recordings, messages, correspondence, receipts and system records;
• information from staff, representatives, suppliers, the insurer or the complainant; and
• the complainant's individual circumstances and the fair-treatment implications.

The person deciding or recommending the outcome must have appropriate knowledge and authority and must not be subject to a material conflict of interest. Where appropriate, the complaint will be reviewed by someone who was not responsible for the conduct complained about.

Step 4 — Keep you informed

We aim to resolve straightforward complaints within 10 business days and provide a final response within 15 business days.

If a complaint is complex, depends on another party or cannot reasonably be finalised within 15 business days, we will explain the reason, identify what remains outstanding and give a revised target date. We will provide a progress update at least every 10 business days while the complaint remains open.

Our aim is to finalise a complaint as soon as reasonably possible and ordinarily within six weeks. These are service targets and do not shorten any right or longer period provided by law. Where a binding legal, ombud or contractual timeframe differs, that timeframe will apply.

Step 5 — Decide and respond

We may uphold, partly uphold or reject a complaint. The final response will be in plain language and will include:

• a summary of the complaint and material information considered;
• the decision and clear reasons;
• any remedy, payment, correction or action Wisani has agreed to take;
• when an agreed action will be completed;
• the internal review route; and
• the relevant external ombud, regulator or other escalation route, including applicable time limits known to us.

If a complaint is upheld, agreed corrective action will be implemented without undue delay. If it is rejected, we will provide adequate reasons and will not simply state that the complaint has “no merit”.

Step 6 — Close and learn

A complaint is closed when the decision has been communicated and any agreed action has been completed, or when Wisani has issued its final response and does not intend to take further internal action. Closing a complaint does not remove the complainant's right to use an applicable external process.

We analyse complaints for recurring issues, root causes, customer harm and control failures. Appropriate corrective action may include changes to training, communications, products, processes, suppliers, systems or oversight.

9. Possible outcomes and remedies

Depending on the facts, a fair outcome may include:

• an explanation, apology or service correction;
• correction of a policy, membership, beneficiary, payment or personal-information record;
• re-performance or correction of a funeral service where practicable;
• reconsideration or escalation of a policy or claim decision by the authorised decision-maker;
• payment of an amount contractually due;
• refund of an amount not due;
• compensation for proven loss where Wisani accepts liability;
• a goodwill payment, where appropriate and authorised;
• cancellation or reinstatement where permitted by the product terms and law;
• staff, representative or supplier corrective action; or
• a process, disclosure, training or control improvement.

Any remedy will be determined on the facts, applicable terms and law. A goodwill payment does not necessarily amount to an admission of legal liability.

10. Internal escalation and review

If you are dissatisfied with the response, reply to the final-response communication or contact complaints@wisani.co.za and ask for an internal review. Explain which part you disagree with and provide any new or overlooked information.

The review will be allocated to an appropriately senior and impartial person who was not the original decision-maker, where reasonably possible. The reviewer may confirm, vary or overturn the original decision and will give reasons.

Requesting an internal review is free. It does not prevent you from approaching an applicable ombud or regulator, subject to that body's jurisdiction and time limits.

11. Complaints involving insured funeral cover or claims

Wisani will help receive and route a complaint about insured funeral cover. Final insurer decisions remain the responsibility of King Price Life where applicable.

You may also contact:

For compliance concerns relating to King Price Life information or conduct:

Email: Lifecompliance@kingprice.co.za

A claim, claim complaint and legal action may each have different time limits. The applicable policy terms and any rejection or repudiation notice should be read carefully. Submitting a complaint does not automatically suspend a contractual or statutory time bar. If you are unsure, seek independent advice promptly.

12. External escalation

You should generally give Wisani and, where applicable, King Price Life a reasonable opportunity to resolve the complaint first. If you remain dissatisfied, you may approach the body with jurisdiction over the issue. External services have their own rules, required forms and time limits.

12.1 National Financial Ombud — Life Insurance Division

The Life Insurance Division considers eligible complaints about long-term and funeral insurance, including declined claims, lapsed policies, benefit calculations, beneficiaries and alleged unfair treatment by a participating insurer.

The NFO service is free to complainants, subject to its jurisdiction and rules.

12.2 FAIS Ombud

The FAIS Ombud considers eligible complaints about financial advice and intermediary services regulated under the FAIS Act.

The FAIS Ombud states that a complainant must first try to resolve the matter with the responding party, which has six weeks to resolve it. After receiving the responding party's final response, a complainant generally has six months to submit the complaint to the FAIS Ombud. Confirm the current jurisdictional and time-limit rules directly with the Ombud.

12.3 National Consumer Commission

For an eligible consumer complaint about a non-insurance funeral product or service, the Consumer Protection Act may apply and the National Consumer Commission may have jurisdiction.

The NCC has its own jurisdiction, evidence requirements and process. Wisani's final response should identify the more appropriate external body where another ombud or industry code applies.

12.4 Information Regulator

For a complaint about personal information or POPIA, first contact Wisani's Information Officer using the details in the Wisani Privacy Policy and POPIA Notice. You may also complain to:

13. Complaints involving fraud, crime or immediate risk

Wisani may refer suspected fraud, theft, forgery, corruption, abuse or other unlawful conduct to its investigation function, the insurer, a regulator or law-enforcement authority. This does not prevent fair consideration of the underlying customer complaint.

The complaint process does not replace emergency services, criminal reporting or urgent court relief. A person facing immediate danger or an urgent legal deadline should contact the appropriate authority or obtain independent advice without waiting for the complaint process to finish.

14. Privacy and confidentiality

Wisani processes personal information submitted in a complaint to:

• identify and communicate with the complainant;
• investigate, decide and remedy the complaint;
• verify authority, policy, payment, claim and service records;
• refer the matter to the responsible entity, insurer, supplier, ombud or regulator;
• meet legal, audit, reporting and record-keeping obligations; and
• identify trends and improve customer outcomes.

Information will be shared only where reasonably necessary and lawful. Complaint records will be secured and retained in accordance with POPIA, applicable financial-sector requirements and Wisani's approved retention schedule. Further information is available in the Wisani Privacy Policy and POPIA Notice in the website legal section.

15. Complaint records, monitoring and governance

Wisani will maintain accurate and secure records of reportable complaints, including:

• complainant and subject-matter details;
• relevant evidence, correspondence and decisions;
• category, owner, progress, status and timeframes;
• whether the complaint was upheld, partly upheld or rejected;
• reasons for rejection;
• internal and external escalations and their outcomes; and
• compensation, refund, goodwill or corrective action, where applicable.

Management will monitor complaint volumes, categories, ageing, outcomes, recurring causes, vulnerable-customer impacts, supplier performance and agreed corrective actions. Material trends and risks will be reported to the appropriate governing body, key individuals, compliance function and insurer stakeholders.

Complaints staff must be appropriately trained, empowered and free from conflicts that could compromise impartiality. The complaint framework and this public policy will be reviewed regularly and when products, operations, law or ombud arrangements materially change.

16. Legal rights and time limits

Nothing in this policy:

• limits a complainant's rights under a policy, contract or law;
• prevents lawful access to an ombud, regulator, tribunal or court;
• changes the jurisdiction or rules of an external body;
• extends or suspends a policy, ombud, prescription or litigation time limit; or
• requires Wisani to disclose information that must lawfully remain confidential.

Complainants should act promptly and keep copies of the complaint, supporting information, acknowledgement, reference number and final response.

17. Changes to this policy

Wisani may update this policy when its products, processes, legal obligations or external complaint routes change. The latest version will be published in the Wisani website legal section with its effective date. A change will not be used to prejudice a complaint already received.