The Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals has called for an investigation into South African banks and insurance companies “accused of perpetuating apartheid-era socio-economic imbalances by charging black customers exorbitant interest rates and insurance premiums”.
ABSIP said black customers told the programme that more than 4,000 bank customers were charged 30% more than white customers on mortgage loans, and the bank had refused to refund them. President of ABSIP, Sibongiseni Mbatha, said: “The recent claims of discrimination against black customers cannot be tolerated. This matter needs to be investigated, clients refunded, fair lending and insurance policies introduced and applied, and discrimination based on colour or of any kind must end. Ethics must reign in the banking and insurance industries. Where else are black customers being taken for a ride? We must find out.