Cell C

Hi all. As if we don't have enough problems! I really would appreciate any ideas with this situation of mine. I have had a cell c cellular contract for just over 6 years of no problems. I renewed my contract on the 26/01/2020 for a Huawei Y7 2019 Edition and at the same time got one for my girlfriend on my contract as a gift, it is a nice phone. The manageress (Workshop branch Durban KZN) was really nice and set up both devices in-store. Anyway, to cut a long story short on the 8th of August 2020 my phone just stopped receiving network on both sim cards? wifi was fine and my girlfriend lazing on the other couch had no problems and since the phone was set up in-store and still quite new I didn't want to fiddle. I managed to get the phone back to cell c workshop on the 12th of August and one of the staff members tried this and that to pick up network and eventually gave up and said the phone would have to be sent in for repairs he then handed me a job card which I signed he then handed me my sim cards, memory card and the holder. When I arrived home as instructed I put the sim holder and contract sim away and used the secondary sim number my main contact no for years in a device I had at home. I received 2 messages from cell c saying my phone had been booked in and the other that it was on its way for repairs. September came I tried phoning the branch never did anyone pick up a phone I went to the branch tacking off work each time standing outside in a queue only to be told my device was still at repairs. I do understand that covid has turned everything upside down. I then contacted legal wise to help with the matter at the beginning of October! They like me were given the runaround. But finally, cell c eventually rep**** to the legal wise Legal Counselor on Thursday, December the 24 with a Quotation attached dated (Friday 14 August 2020) ??????? For the amount of R1506.04 for a faulty sim reader on the mainboard. Should this not fall under the device warranty?