Ombudsman for Banking Services South Africa

Established in 1997, the Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBS) operates as an independent and impartial mediator to resolve disputes between member banks and their clients. The service is offered free of charge to consumers. The OBS's mission is to promote fairness in banking by investigating and resolving individual complaints, aiming to provide a just and equitable outcome without the need for costly and time-consuming legal action. It is a voluntary scheme, but all major South African banks are members, and its rulings are binding on the member banks.