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Sunday Post
7 days ago
- General
- Sunday Post
ILAWS can sort your affairs with no drama, so why wait to do it?
Get a weekly round-up of stories from The Sunday Post: Thank you for signing up to our Sunday Post newsletter. Something went wrong - please try again later. Sign Up It's understandable that at this time of year you don't want to have to think about things like making a Will, putting in place Power of Attorney (POA) or safeguarding your home from care fees with a Protected Property Trust (PPT). About partnership content Some Sunday Post online content is funded by outside parties. The revenue from this helps to sustain our independent news gathering. You will always know if you are reading paid-for material as it will be clearly labelled as 'Partnership' on the site and on social media channels, This can take two different forms. 'Presented by' This means the content has been paid for and produced by the named advertiser. 'In partnership with' This means the content has been paid for and approved by the named advertiser but written and edited by our own commercial content team. Instead, you'll want to be enjoying the summer holidays – getting away for a relaxing break, spending time with family, or perhaps you're on childcare duty over the school holidays. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that sorting your estate, be that your Will, POA or a PPT for example, needs to happen at some point. If you've been meaning to do it, take reading this article as a reminder to get in touch with ILAWS Scotland as soon as it's convenient. Maybe not today, tomorrow, or even next week, but do it when the hustle and bustle of holiday season has subsided and you are able to turn your attention back to matters that have been on hold over the break. © Shutterstock There's no drama when you deal with ILAWS Offering free no-obligation home visits to advise you on all the options relating to estate planning, ILAWS can help get your affairs in order and it won't be a chore or a stress. As much as none of us like to dwell on thinking about situations that might arise should the worst happen, don't let that put you off contacting the friendly team. You'll be surprised at how simple it is to get all your affairs sorted with ILAWS – there's nothing intimidating or complicated when you deal with them. The team are experts in their field, but they speak your language. They appreciate arranging Wills, POA and PPT can feel overwhelming, so they remove the stress and explain everything in terms you can understand. Five-star Trustpilot rating If you've seen the ILAWS adverts on STV, you'll know the tagline is 'no drama', and the five-star Trustpilot rating from happy customers is testament to just how efficient and effective dealing with ILAWS is. When you watch the TV ads you'll also see they're a company with a sense of humour. Tony Marchi, principal at ILAWS, said: 'We deal with serious subjects, but that doesn't mean we need to be overly stern or humourless. We're approachable, friendly and we're not intimidating at all. 'The TV ads are designed to show that, they are meant to raise a smile. We've even had new clients get out their seat and act out the ads when telling us which service they require. We're really delighted the ads have been so well received. 'When we have one of our estate planners sit down with a family, often the Dad has humorously mocked his boy by shouting 'Have you got a Will…son?' in reference to the ad, all in good fun. We have exciting plans for some news ads being discussed now.' © Shutterstock / ILAWS prices are hard to beat While the service you receive from ILAWS will be second to none, the value for money is also worth considering too. Prices for services such as Wills, POA and PPT can vary wildly, but be assured ILAWS is offers some of the best prices on the market. In fact, it's probably the best value for money you'll find when it comes to matters of estate planning. Simplicity, quality and value for money – that's why so many people choose ILAWS. In fact, there are close to 30,000 clients on the ILAWS books, so you can be sure you're in safe hands. Tony said: 'Whether it's now or in the next few months, you need to have it in your head to sort your affairs. 'At this time of year, I understand it might not be convenient to do it just now. Perhaps you're just about to go on holiday, you're just back, or maybe your time is taken up babysitting the grandkids, but as soon as life is back to normal this is a phone call you should be making. 'You know you need to do this at some point in time, put it in your diary to get in touch with us.' So, let ILAWS sort your affairs with a friendly service and no drama.
IOL News
05-08-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Retired Judge Dhaya Pillay's open letter to Nedbank CEO Jason Quinn
Retired Judge Dhaya Pillay shares her frustrating experiences with Nedbank's customer service, highlighting inefficiencies and a lack of respect for customers, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds. Image: Karen Sandison / Independent Newspapers The Chief Executive Officer Nedbank Jason Quinn Dear Mr Quinn, I had the misfortune yet again of having to visit a Nedbank branch. This time it was the Durban North branch on Adelaide Tambo Drive, Durban North. After numerous trips to the branch in Overport City and finally in Durban North, I finally opened an online account for my mother who is 87 years, and who had to traipse with me on every occasion. I opened the online account under a General Power of Attorney. In addition, I signed all the documents that the branch requested. Obviously, I was compliant as I have been operating the online banking service since last year. I had to return to the Durban North branch again yesterday to increase the payment limit. Before leaving home I schooled myself to be patient, polite and not to lose my temper. I did so because every previous experience at both branches had been annoyingly inefficient and time consuming. A visit to the dentist is less formidable; at least with the dentist the pain and suffering is short-lived. Yesterday, I arrived at the Durban North branch at 11.12am and left at 1.15pm. On arrival, I was informed that I would have to wait for 30 to 45 minutes. I waited patiently. Overhearing the frustrations of other customers who had been waiting before me was truly saddening. An elderly woman, unable to operate her banking application, was making several calls to log a complaint against the unhelpfulness of the branch staff. After an hour I was attended to. The banker who attended to me did not introduce herself to me, a fact that I pointed out to her when she kept asking me who had attended to me previously. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Having entered my mother's particulars into her computer, she informed me that she would not be able to increase the limit as there was no record of a General Power of Attorney on file. Furthermore, a Special Power was required. I pointed out that I had given the branch a General Power of Attorney last year and had to wait for several days for it to be considered by Nedbank's legal department. Obviously, I said, that the General Power of Attorney had been approved, and the account was online with the mandate in my favour. The banker was hearing none of this. Without a Special Power of Attorney, she said, she was unable to increase the payment limit. She called the manager. The Manager repeated what the banker said. Instead of finding a solution, she kept insisting that the transaction was not possible. This went on for some time as I stood my ground. (Imagine if I had not!) If the branch could not find a copy of the General Power of Attorney that I had submitted previously, I could not allow its inefficiencies to contaminate my affairs, I protested. Then the Manager said she would have to look for the General Power of Attorney in the back office. Being told that I would have to wait again was not what I wanted to hear. Nevertheless, I did wait. While waiting, I observed another woman who had been waiting for two hours voice her protests. The Manager returned later, again saying that the General Power of Attorney could not be found but that I would have to sign a form for increasing the limit once off. I said I would, but she produced no such form. In any case, that would not have solved the problem because I wanted the limit to be raised permanently. By this time, I was utterly frustrated. Raising my voice, I pointed out the trouble I had taken to ensure that I was properly compliant when opening the online banking account for my mother in 2024. I also pointed out repeatedly that I would not have been able to operate the account if I had not been compliant. That means, if I had not provided a General Power of Attorney. Both the Manager and the banker went on and on about not being able to effect the increase without proof of my mandate. I found a Nedbank indemnity document that had been signed and handed in on October 28, 2024. I pointed out that the document authorised me 'to use the Internet banking service offered by Nedbank and choose the pin…' and at the bottom of the page a footer appeared: 'POA Judge Pillay DOCX page 1 of 2'. Eventually the Manager authorised the increase in the payment limit. She also gave me a copy of an email showing that Nedbank had accepted the General Power of Attorney in 2024. The Manager took a further copy from me. She could have done so from the outset without aggravating my anxiety. On another note, recently, I had to open an estate banking account as the executor of an estate in which the total value is less than R8,000. I attempted to contact the Durban North branch to make an appointment. I left a message for the Manager. Her former colleague informed me that she had also left a message. The Manager did not return my call. While waiting for the banker to complete the paperwork for increasing the limit, I showed the Manager the exchange of WhatsApp messages that I had had with her former colleague. Instead of an apology, the Manager made the lame excuse of probably not being in her office when I called. That would not explain why she did not respond to her former colleague's message. Eventually, I had asked Private Wealth to open the estate banking account on my personal profile. Of course, this means paying the higher bank changes reserved for the elite. Quite clearly, Nedbank is marketing itself outside the reach of ordinary people who cannot meet the standards of private wealth and special treatment. Corporate social responsibility starts at home in the most basic way. Treat customers like human beings with dignity. Waiting for hours on end implies that, for Nedbank, its customers and their time have no value. Everyone who was waiting in that branch was angry, worried or disappointed. Old people who were unable to operate their apps on their cellular phones struggled and came for help. Most of the people waiting were African people. The impression that we customers are unworthy of the Nedbank's care and concern is palpable. The attitude is not 'How can I help' but rather 'No can do' without even an apology. This attitude and treatment are so culturally ingrained that Nedbank will never be able to be able to claw back the market share it loses daily to Capitec. Perhaps Nedbank no longer cares for the small investors. Only the elite will do. I note your hope for 'a better South African economy'. Well, that won't happen if Nedbank customers must waste more than two hours at the branches. Neither will social transformation happen if Nedbank (and others) treat low-income earners as if they and their time have no value. Segmenting customers based on their income and social status is indirect unfair discrimination. I have taken time to write not because I'm hopeful of a culture change at Nedbank branches, because that is what is required. Firing the Manager or anyone else will not eliminate Nedbank's ingrained disrespect for customers. I write to let you as the leader of one of the five major banks in South Africa, and as a member of Nedbank's Group Transformation, Social and Ethics and Group Risk Committees to let you know how customers feel. Don't take my word for it; observe for yourself what goes on in the branches. Now you cannot say 'I didn't know'. Your credibility is on the line. Expensive advertisements and golf days will not change how low-income people feel about Nedbank. But respect for their dignity as customers, as human beings will. Corporate social investment starts at home, in the branches, at the coalface of services. Dhaya Pillay, Judge of the High Court (retired) Commissioner: Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) Durban
The Herald Scotland
30-07-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Fit to leave, but can't: why families are being left powerless
If a person cannot consent to matters affecting their welfare, which includes decisions relating to care and whether they can be relocated to a care home, there can be significant legal issues. Unless there is an attorney appointed who can legally make the decisions on behalf of the adult, the only option may be to obtain a guardianship granted by a sheriff, which can be a costly and time-consuming process. It has been over 25 years since the ground-breaking Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act was passed, providing a legal framework for protecting adults who lack the capacity to make decisions for themselves. Yet there are still so many individuals without a Power of Attorney in place. One of the reasons often cited for this is the perceived complexity and timescale for getting a Power of Attorney. At present, the required registration process with the Office of the Public Guardian takes over 11 months to complete. In England, registration is eight to 10 weeks, marking a significant difference in the delivery of an incredibly important administrative service. In an emergency, registration can be expedited. However, individuals need to have signed a Power of Attorney before that happens, and they must have had mental capacity when they signed it. When a normal registration process takes nearly a year, it can discourage people from putting a vital safety net in place when they are still fit and able to do so. However, inaction can be dangerous. At the point that a Power of Attorney is actually needed, due to a sudden accident or change in circumstances, it can be too late because the individual's health has deteriorated beyond the point that they can competently sign it. Professor Wallace's comments show one of the potential effects with the strain it puts on NHS services, not to mention the possible distress it causes to families. Granting a Power of Attorney is a vital step to ensure financial and welfare needs are protected when individuals themselves cannot fully control matters. It should be something people do irrespective of age, especially if they have dependants. Putting a Power of Attorney in place should be simple. The preparation and signing of one is straightforward and if the registration process were quicker, it could make the whole process a lot more appealing and reduce the impact on the health service. Graeme Dickson is a Private Client Partner with Thorntons
Business Recorder
19-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Probe into power projects: Senate panel for action against PD for providing ‘misleading' info
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs has recommended the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) taking action against the Power Division for allegedly providing misleading information during an inquiry initiated by the former caretaker Federal Minister for Energy. The inquiry pertains to the ACSR Bunting Conductor tender and the World Bank-funded 765kV Dasu-Islamabad Transmis-sion Line Project (Lot-1). According to official documents, Additional Secretary Power Division, Imtiaz Hussain Shah, informed the Committee on June 30, 2025, that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed no Power of Attorney (PoA) related to Chinese firms M/s Henan Tong-DA Cable Co. Ltd. or M/s Jiangsu Zhongtian Technology Co. Ltd. was submitted to the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing for verification. The Embassy also clarified that since Pakistan joined the Apostille Convention in November 2024, such attestations are no longer required through diplomatic channels. HUBCO proposes $51mn investment in Thar-based coal projects The Committee, chaired by Senator Saif Ullah Abro, directed the EAD and Power Division to directly contact the companies involved to determine whether they had ever submitted such documents. In its session, the Committee was also briefed on the submission of records for a special audit into the ACSR Bunting Conductor case. These were handed over to the Auditor General's office on June 4, 2025. Regarding the high-voltage Dasu–Islamabad Transmis-sion Line (Lot-1), the Power Division shared that the internal inquiry led by GM NGC Muhammad Mustafa had recommended referring the matter to the World Bank. The Bank, in response, confirmed that the procurement process was conducted in line with its guidelines. However, the Committee expressed concern over a potential cover-up. Officials from the Power Division failed to present the supplementary report that supposedly formed the basis for communication with the World Bank. Instead, they showed only a letter written by a former senior official, which the Committee suspects was intended to conceal irregularities. The panel demanded all correspondence relating to that letter and clarified that under World Bank procurement regulations, the borrower (in this case, Pakistan) holds full responsibility for the procurement process. The Committee was told that no formal inquiry report was ever prepared or submitted by former caretaker Energy Minister Muhammad Ali, despite his active role as head of an internal investigation committee. Power Division officials stated they had only heard about an unsigned report, which was never officially shared. The Committee was visibly shocked and questioned how the former Minister was able to present conclusions at a Senate Standing Committee meeting on February 20, 2024, without a documented report. It directed the Power Division to locate and submit even an unsigned copy of the inquiry findings and recommended that EAD take disciplinary action against the Power Division for providing misleading information in this matter. The Committee further advised EAD to seek clarification on how both the former caretaker Minister and the then Secretary of the Power Division—members of the inquiry committee—could act with such negligence, allegedly concealing facts about financial and procedural irregularities in key power sector tenders. On the issue of recovering Rs 1.282 billion from a contractor involved in the 765kV Dasu–Islamabad Grid Station (Lot-IV), the Committee clarified that the NTDC Board was not authorized to conduct an independent inquiry. It recalled earlier discussions confirming that the disputed amount was not to be considered in the bid evaluation, per the bidding documents. The Committee instructed EAD to formally write to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to ensure recovery of the Rs 1.282 billion from the lowest bidder in line with earlier recommendations. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- The Hindu
Five arrested in rowdy sheeter murder case in Bengaluru; MLA Basavaraj summoned
The city police on Thursday arrested five people in connection with the murder of 44-year-old rowdy-sheeter Shivaprakash in east Bengaluru's Bharathinagar on Tuesday. Former Urban Development Minister and MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, who was among five persons booked for the murder, has been served a notice to appear before the police, according to D. Devaraj, DCP, East. The arrested have been identified as Kiran, Vimal, Pradeep, Madan, and Samuel. A Bengaluru court on Thursday granted 10-day custody of the suspects to the police. Considering the gravity of the case, Prakash Rathode, Assistant Commissioner of Police, K.G. Halli, has been named as the investigating officer. Shivaprakash, a rowdy sheeter and realtor, was allegedly hacked to death by a group of unidentified assailants near his house in Bharathinagar on Tuesday. The FIR was registered based on a complaint by Vijayalakshmi, the mother of the deceased, who witnessed the murder on July 15. According to the complainant, on July 15, around 8.10 p.m., a group of unidentified assailants attacked Shivaprakash when he was standing outside their house at Bharathinagar with his driver Imran Khan and friend Lokesh. When Imran Khan tried to rescue Shivaprakash, he was also attacked. She said she saw Lokesh filming the attack on his mobile phone. She screamed for help, and seeing people rush to the spot, the assailants fled, but by then, Shivaprakash was dead, the complainant said. The complainant also said that Shivaparakash had been engaged in the real estate business, as part of Extreme Point (Promoters and Developers) Private Limited, for the past year. She said her son had gotten a General Power of Attorney (GPA) for a plot of land at Kothanur in 2023. He had built a shed and arranged for two women to live there as security guards. Then in February 2025, two men — Jagadish alias Jagga and Kiran — trespassed into the plot of land and threw out the two women living there. Ms. Vijayalakshmi claimed that later, Jagadish called Shivaparakash, threatening to 'not let him be alive' if he doesn't transfer the GPA to his name, as it was 'his area'. Shivaprakash had also complained about the threats to the police. According to the FIR, he was allegedly murdered by eight persons who were instigated by the MLA for K.R. Puram, Byrathi Basavaraj. Mr. MLA Basavaraj has been listed as accused number five in the case.
