INCOSISTENT AND INCORRECT BILLING

On the 27/07/2021 I checked my DStv balance to see how much I was expected to pay for the month of August. My balance owing was R634.91 (Compact Plus package). On 29/07/2021 I received a SMS message from DStv reminding me that I must pay an amount of R709.91 (more than R70 that was displayed on DStv self-service portal).

I decided to query this via an e-mail to the *** to complain about sudden escalation of amount payable, with less than 5 days left to payment due date.

I also decided to raise this matter of different amounts on the Twitter account of the interactive @DStv (online platform), from which I received instant response that said I must pay an amount of R539 and to ignore the incorrect amount (R709.91, I suppose).

The e-mail response I received said that: "Please accept our apologies and inconvenience regarding wrong balance showing on our self-services portal". This response further said that I must pay R709.91. This has left me confused as to what exactly I am supposed to pay (of the three amounts) that I have received from one and the same company. If this is as a result of a technical glitch, it is not of my doing. DStv (Multichoice) must take responsibility for their own mistake.

I am therefore reluctant to pay the amount of R709.91 and I'm afraid that I may be punished by DStv for a problem which is not of my own doing.

I'm willing to pay R634.91 though, which is the amount I was originally billed for, before it was escalated to R709.91.

I'm also tempted to pay only R539.00, which I believe could be the actual amount I am supposed to pay. I have no reason to believe that this amount of money (R539) is incorrect because I did provide my subscription details that included my name, customer number, ID. number and contact number), which details enabled @DStv to check how much I was supposed to pay.

I've had to downgrade from the Premium package and was to be on the Compact Plus package, beginning 1st August, because of the unaffordable and exorbitant amounts (above R1 000) of billing I was receiving from DStv.

If I am going to pay an amount close to that of the Premium package when I am on the Compact Plus package, I feel that this is too much.

I really feel hard done by DStv (Multichoice).

Regards

Bhekinkosi Mathabathe