CELL C ********** SALES REPRESENTATIVES, WORSE THAN TELKOM TO CENCEL A CONTRACT

I was due an upgrade in November 2021, but decided not to upgrade and to cancel the contract. A sales representative phoned me regarding my upgrade and i explained that as we are in the process of emigrating, and therefore i will be cancelling the contract. He explained to me that i can proceed on a month to month sim only contract and cancel my contract at any given time.

I immediately requested confirmation in writing of the fact that the contract was on a month to month basis as per the sales telephone call, furthermore after the telephonic conversation wherein the sales representative clearly misrepresented the terms of the contract to me, I received a contract stating that the contract period was 24 months, I did query this in writing on the 25th of November, which was will within the cooling off period of said contract, and would I have been informed about the fact that the contract was in actual fact not on a monthly basis, as the sales representative informed me, I would have cancelled the contract. However, to no surprise, I only received a case number and automated reply…..

Not long after that, I was contacted by Cell c again, on black Friday, where I was informed that there is a promotion and I can get the same contract for cheaper, I specifically mentioned to the sales representative again that due to our plans to emigrate I cannot enter into a long term agreement and she advised that it will still be on a month to month basis. I SPECIFICALLY asked her about the previous contract that referred to “24 months” and was advised that “that is how all the contracts read, but seeing that you are not repaying a device and have a sim-only deal you can cancel same at any given time with a months notice”.

This call was late November 2021, early december 2021 and I requested a copy of the telephone recording on email, as I knew that upon a consumers request for a copy of a telephonic sale, same must be provided to the consumer within 10 business days. To no surprise I only received a case number in response.

I phoned cell c today to cancel the contract as I resigned and will no longer have an income as well as the fact that we will be leaving the country soon. I was advised that i need to pay the valance of the contract amount before i can cancel the contract.

It is quite evident that their sales representatives misrepresented the terms of said agreement and would i have known of the actual terms, i would not have entered into said agreement.

I will be escalating this to the National consumer regulator as well as ICASA and I will encourage others to do sk as well.