Ongoing ************** Against Township Customers

Title: Ongoing ************** Against Township Customers – Discovery Health Vitality

Complaint:

I am writing this complaint with deep frustration regarding Discovery Health and its continued neglect of township customers in the rollout of its Vitality HealthyFood benefit.

On 7 August 2024, I wrote directly to Discovery CEO, Mr. Adrian Gore, expressing concern over the decision to replace Pick n Pay with Checkers as a Vitality partner. This move has excluded township residents, as Checkers does not operate in our communities, and the alternative, Woolworths, is unaffordable for many of us.

I followed up again on 10 June 2025, nearly a year later, only to receive a generic response from a representative, Phindi Tshabalala, stating that Discovery is still “exploring avenues” to include Shoprite — the brand that is well known for serving the township market.

This delay is unacceptable and shows a lack of urgency and regard for a significant portion of Discovery’s loyal customer base. How can such a large and resourceful company take over 10 months to address such a basic issue of access and fairness?

By selecting a Vitality partner without considering the realities of township life, Discovery has effectively discriminated against lower-income members. The current system forces us to travel to suburban malls just to benefit from a program we pay for like everyone else.

It is shameful that in a democratic South Africa, such exclusion is allowed to continue — and that even after formal complaints and follow-ups, Discovery treats this issue as a low priority.

I am posting this publicly in hopes that Discovery will take meaningful, inclusive action and stop marginalizing the very people who have supported the brand through thick and thin.

Sizwe Dube, Soweto, Gauteng