No customer protection rights - false accounts and credit listings

Item: Cape Union Mart
Rating: 1
Author: Melanie K

I opened a Cape Union account during September 2015 merely to make use of the vouchers, and immediately paid the outstanding balance which was calculated by Cape Union systems at the time. In two and never in two years received a statement, call or email to state any amount was outstanding. Now this past month, Game was having a cell phone special so I tried getting a new Vodacom contract this month, only to find out that I cannot, due to an outstanding amount of R54 owing from September 2015 to Cape Union Mart. Game could only give me this answer after 3 trips of approximately 60km to Cape Gate. Last Tuesday, I visited Cape Union at Canal Walk, and they put the call through to RSC, who manages their accounts. The first operator indicated I should just pay the R54, then they will send a letter of clearance through to Transunion. I said I would not pay R54, unless I get a breakdown of this. This operator send statements via email indicating opening and closing balances of R54 for 3 months, with no breakdown. The supervisor Thelela then indicated she was not happy with this response, and phoned back. FInally, a Marshall from RSC could provide a breakdown. This went from owing R54, to in fact owing zero. He indicated he would write a letter to this affect, but that he would call back the following day once his supervisor had credited my account. No one ever called, so I had to call back the next day, only to hear this would take 24 to 48 hours to process a mere adjustment and give me clearance letter. I was unhappy with this, as then my cellphone special at Game would be over. When the letter was not forthcoming, the manager Geraldine stepped in, and confirmed that she is most aggrieved by this, as I had infact overpaid on the account, and the R54 is interest on a balance I did not owe. Finally I received a letter 4 days later, they do not mention anything about this being an error from your side, but mention the "account is settled". This while there was not even an outstanding balance from my part. In fact, I had overpaid the account. I was unhappy with this, As a Director in an Audit Practice, I cannot afford to have bad credit rating or the reputation of not seeing through my obligations. Therefore I requested they reword the letter to indicate that this was an error and has been cleared. Another 3 days later, I received a new letter I am highly embarrassed that I cannot get a simple contract from Vodacom on the basis of affordability and credit rating! My rights as a consumer has not been respected and I feel the public should be aware of how you treat your customers (who in fact pay cash upfront). This is also a case of defamation of my character. Now, just to keep the ball rolling, with this letter indicating I owed money I never owed, I have also now been on the line to the credit bureau, JHB, again at my cost, on hold for longer than 7 minutes, merely trying to get an email/fax number I can send this to. This is not for my cost or time at all, but Cape Union and RSC should be proactive in rectifying the situation quickly and efficiently. So far, besides all the calls to you / Cape Union / Game / Vodacom, and 4 trips of 60km each to Game Cape Gate is at my cost, amounting to hundreds of Rands, never mind the cost of my time, which is billable at R2400ph. Please note I have given you more than a week to resolve this matter. Nobody communicates, nobody phones back, the requested letters are still not forthcoming, and I still do not have confirmation that this has reached Experien Credit Bureau. I am also not going to wait the 24-48 working hours - you put me in this mess in a blink of an eye, and I feel I have afforded you sufficient time to resolve this matter. This is a simple case of false reporting to the credit bureau, resulting in my rights as a customer being violated.

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