I refer to Steve Sant’s letter Garnishee Warning (July 27).

We feel the need to clarify that a garnishee order is a court order that requires all persons on whom it is served, including banks, to block all assets due to the alleged debtor (up to the amount specified in the order) and also to deposit any available funds in court within 19 days from the date when the garnishee order was served.

Banks are, therefore, obliged to act accordingly when served with a garnishee order against one of their clients. As such, the issue is not at all one of trust or otherwise in the banks, as suggested by Mr Sant. Neither does it involve data protection or client confidentiality issues because a court order overrides these provisions and must be complied with in terms of law.