PREPAID NUMBER DEACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING AFTER USING THE SAME NUMBER FOR 15 YEARS

I have used my Cell C prepaid number for over 15 years. I have used and advertised the number for business use and it is linked to several online websites for OTP passwords via SMS.

It was PERMANENTLY DEACTIVATED without warning, and now it looks like I cannot get my number back. I phoned customer care who said I should just go into a Cell C store (with proof of residence, ID etc) and they will be able to reissue the number onto a new SIM. After traveling to a Cell C store, and purchasing a new SIM (as I twas told to do), they said they could not allocate the number as it was permanently deactivated on their system. I have been to three stores now to get this sorted out with no success. No-one else has the number yet (according to the store it takes 2 years before that happens), so why cant I get my number back on a new SIM?

This has resulted in lost business, wasted advertising, and utter frustration. Howcome I was not warned by SMS or other means that this was going to happen? I would gladly have topped up if I needed to. I was receiving calls no problem and then all network access was blocked - possibly because I had not made calls for a while, but I was still receiving calls no problem so how was I to know that I would lose my number?

I have been trying for a month to get this number back and have been passed from pillar to post with no favorable outcome. All I get told is that the number has been permanently deactivated and when I ask to speak to a manager or someone else who can release the number back to me (surely its just a few clicks of a button) I am denied speaking to anyone higher up at Cell C.

I am utterly disgusted that this is the way Cell C would treat a customer of over 15 years!

Please Cell C, help a loyal customer.