Recycled phones pass off as new

I have cellphone insurance with Vodacom, upon the loss of my phone I contacted them. My claim was approved very quickly; however in my town the Voda shop we had, was temporarily closed. Vodacom offered to organize Ca Cell to deliver the new handset for me. I paid the excess fee over to their bank account and indeed the handset was delivered within days. The problem, occurred when the phone was unable to "start properly" meaning the setting up; the emails. The phone kept running “initializing, stating it will take a few minutes to do the final stages". It took hours, I had to recharge the battery and that continued. Fortunately the Vodacom store, had started operating, I took it to them and they said "this handset is not new; which is why you are having difficulties; setting up" They said "i need to send it back and the other person`s profile will need to be deleted first. This is supposed to be a new phone, how can this be? I called Ca cell, they said "these kind of things happen" and they will send a courier to pick it up. It has been 2 weeks now and I am still waiting for my "new handset, as I was told it will be replaced". Today, I received a call stating that, I will be getting the very same handset; because there is nothing wrong with it. This is totally unacceptable.