Absolute Nightmare

I booked tickets for me and my family to Cape Town through Pick n Pay and got confirmation with the printed tickets. On the day of departure when we arrived at Park Station we were told that not only were there no Atlantic buses but that they could not pick up our ticket even though we were getting endless messages reming us of our trip. The teller who was serving us was even smug about it saying that it happens all the time. When we tried to call both Atlantic and Pick n Pay Travel their offices were closed. So now we are stranded. Our hotel bookings and activities that have been paid and cannot be refunded have gone to waste. How do you operate like this.