What are fixed deposit penalties?

Hi all,

We have a fixed deposit of about R20 000 with Absa. We put it in back in 2023 for 6 month and we've just "reinvested" every time it matures. It'll mature at the end of May but we need it urgently, I was wondering if anyone has ever had to withdraw a fixed deposit before maturity? Is that even possible and what are the penalties on average?