This was the first time in 45 years that the SACP had organised their own nationwide marches independently of other groups. The campaign addressed an issue which is very important for millions of South Africans who are denied access to banking services in the black townships and in rural areas where banks simply do not open offices. Very often banks also prevent people on low wages from opening accounts. For instance, some banks demand a minimum salary of 3000 Rand to open an account, this in a country where more than 2 million workers earn less than R1500 a month, and millions more are unemployed. Banks also charge their customers for withdrawing money from ATMs and charge them even more for doing over the counter operations.
Interest rates are also very high, although the rich get preferential treatment and reduced rates.
As long as the banks are in the hands of a few capitalist bankers they will always discriminate against poor people. Banks do not lend money for the fun of it or in order to fulfill a social mission. They operate on the basis of making the maximum profit in the shortest space of time. This is how capitalism works. In the same way that you cannot ask a tiger to become vegetarian, you cannot force the banks to be nice to people.