A bunch of **********!

DStv is at it once again!! Only this time, it's for *****. I have been managing our home's DStv account since we got it in February 2020, which is in my brother's name. Except, I have told DStv that he's my husband because when we needed help with something when we first got it, I was told that as his sister I can't access his account. My brother has to go to the office for work, so he has neither the time nor the patience to deal with DStv. I, on the other hand work from home. I have the luxury of time, so we agreed that I'd manage the account because as we know, DStv takes their time resolving queries.

In August 2021, we relocated from Durban to Johannesburg and I requested that our services be disconnected from August 23rd, and only reconnected upon my instruction. I was then told that I can only be disconnected from our next billing date which was August 26th, which meant that we'd still be connected without being able to watch, but it also meant that I wouldn't owe them so I agreed. On the 26th I asked them to confirm that I am indeed disconnected and I was assured that the services were disconnected.

We have not reconnected DStv since then, and so have obviously made no payment since end July 2021. In fact, our decoder is still in a box. However, on July 15th, my brother received a text message saying that attorneys are demanding an outstanding amount of R431.90 on behalf of Multichoice. I didn't pay it any mind, thinking it must've been sent in error because we don't have DStv. A couple of days later, on July 18th, I came across an article where a DStv customer was recounting ********** activity on her account which made me think of mine. I then went onto the app to see what's going on with the billing, but I was unable to get on as I previously was able to do without a password and every time I put in the log in details, an error message was thrown up.

Thereafter, I contacted DStv on Facebook messenger as was the case with ALL my previous communication with them. To my surprise, I was told that I requested a reconnection quote on June 1st 2022. I did no such thing so I requested proof of this. I was ignored until the next day when a consultant confirmed that my services were reconnected on February 26th 2022. I don't even want to get into how I was told about a reconnection quote and not the actual reconnection that took place months before the reconnection quote. I told them that I didn't request those things and they need to show me proof, I was then told that the proof is on their system and asked if I want them to disconnect, but also to note that I will still owe the R431.90 even after they disconnect. I told them that they can get that money from the person they authorized to give instructions on my account and that the proof I require needs to be either a phone call, SMS or email, nothing less. Then I was told that they will investigate and get back to me. I followed up on the same day and was told that they're still working on it. I also received a link to rate the service even though my query was not resolved.

It's now been 4 days since I was told that they're still working on it. I decided that I've given them ample time to investigate and provide feedback, so I will take it to Hello Peter and also report them to the relevant ombudsman. A consultant then says that they're looking into my query and then takes it upon themselves to tell me that there is no outstanding balance on my account. Okay, and? I don't care if there's a million rand outstanding, I'm not liable for that and somehow you think that writing off that debt solves the fact that they allowed ********** activity on my account. I told them that an outstanding amount is the least of my worries, I've been waiting for feedback from a very important investigation that they seem to have forgotten about. They say that my services were disconnected and will not be reconnected unless I ask for it. That's laughable, seeing that we're in this mess because some random stranger accessed my account with personal information that only God knows where they got from, asked for a reconnection and was granted that request. I was informed that no feedback has been received yet from the escalation.

What am I supposed to do with this???? It in no way solves the security issue. Personal information has been compromised because just to gain access to the account I have to provide my brother's initial, surname, I.D number, cell number and physical address EVERY SINGLE TIME and this is with them thinking that it's his wife that's providing all this information. So how on earth does a STRANGER have access to this information to give to them to make changes on our account??!!

The fact they're taking NO accountability for this is what's most infuriating! Now, they can explain themselves to the ombudsman, since they believe that I'm not owed an explanation.