Capitec Bank has responded to an incident in which a grieving family allegedly brought the body of a deceased relative into a branch in Stanger, KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal.
The incident took place on Wednesday morning, resulting in the temporary closure of the branch as staff and customers reacted to the scene.
The family allegedly brought the body into the bank as a desperate measure to provide “proof of death” for a funeral insurance claim. It is claimed the family felt forced into the action after the bank’s alleged refusal to process the claim through standard documentation.
Instead of presenting a death certificate issued by home affairs, the family opted to bring what is purported to be the deceased individual directly to the premises.
Images and videos showing the “body”, wrapped in blue plastic, began circulating on social media shortly after, sparking widespread outrage over the desperation surrounding the act.
In Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal, a family brought a dead body into a Capitec branch as proof of death to claim a funeral policy for burial. The incident highlights desperation, lack of clear guidance on claims, & harsh realities families face when trying to bury loved ones with dignity pic.twitter.com/IjUjBVeEWh
— Man’s NOT Barry Roux (@AdvoBarryRoux) February 18, 2026
Family decided to drop a dead relative at Capitec Branch as a Proof of Death over insurance claim after going back and forth with no assistance. 💔💔 pic.twitter.com/nQaX4idb3g
— m a s h é s h a 💨 (@Mashesha_RSA) February 18, 2026
Responding to the public outcry, Capitec Bank expressed regret over the situation and confirmed the matter is being handled by the relevant authorities.
“We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at our Stanger branch,” the bank said. “We extend our sincere condolences to the family during this difficult time and apologise to those affected.
“We are engaging with the authorities to ensure all processes are followed with care, dignity and respect.”
The bank assured its clients their policies are valid and secure. It clarified payouts depend on how quickly the required documents are submitted.
“Once we receive all the correct documents, we process payouts as swiftly as possible. Our team works to ensure families get the support they need without delays.”
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. In 2019, TimesLIVE reported an incident in KwaZulu-Natal that involved a family taking a body to an Old Mutual branch after the company allegedly refused to pay out the funeral claim. The company issued a statement saying the claim had been paid.
TimesLIVE
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