#OldMutualMustFall: Old Mutual Policy Holders Unite to Cancel and Call Out the Insurance Company
The #OldMutualMustFall social media boycott has shown that strength truly does lie in numbers. One of South Africa’s leading financial service groups and life insurance company Old Mutual has felt the heat of defrauding allegations and taken swift actions to make amends.
Over the past week, the pressure of bad publicity has been mounting on Old Mutual, as former workers and policy holders in particular of the company have come out to air the company’s dirty laundry of ill-treatment.
This scandal culminated in the battle between the Molefi family and the insurance company, regarding a pension payout after Sebabatso Molefi (as seen in the post below) accused the company of refusing to pay out her mother’s money even after a court order had given the go-ahead to.
Although Old Mutual and Sebabatso have resolved their issue, with the company issuing a “positive” press statement to present a semblance of unity, the former posted on her X account that the resolution between her family and the company has been more about the public who have been previously cheated by the insurance company.
On her X account, Sebabatso wrote: “Trust me when I say, I made sure I raised all your complaints today. This isn’t about only mama anymore. It’s about us. Our parents. Our grandparents. Aluta continua.”
South Africans, despite the developments, have not let up under the #OldMutualMustFall campaign, as scores of X users have come out with their own horror stories connected to the company, whilst others have called for policy holders to cancel outright.
@Maluda012 shared a harrowing video of a man who showed up an Old Mutual branch requesting a pay out so he could bury his child, only for the company to call an armed police officer on him. The caption said: “They called the police when he came to claim his money.”
@IamSothondose shared a personal story under the #OldMutualMustFall hashtag, and said: “As we lay my brother in law to rest today we’re still waiting for the payout of a funeral cover from Old Mutual and I ask myself what’s the point of a funeral cover if you end up burying you loved ones from your own pocket. #OldMutualMustFall.”
@Seldotive shared a screenshot of himself cancelling his policy with Old Mutual, saying: “Done.”
@Shonny_SA said: “Cancel your policies with Old Mutual while you are still alive.”