Would not recommend buying a phone hear, you will regret it

I went to Game mall of the north and bought a Samsung A12, Geoffrey Chauke was the salesman. They opened the phone to check scratches and I was happy so I left. When I got home in Pretoria I opened the phone, turned it on and after a few minutes it said Phone Locked then shows the IMEI number and showed a message saying “This phone can’t be used without authorisation” so I tried calling game but they were closed so I called vodacom since they said it’s a vodacom phone. When I called them they said since I don’t have a vodacom SIM card they can’t help me and that error message usually comes on when the has been reported ****** so I have to call game for assistance. I waited until the following day at 8am and called game customer service and they couldn’t help and said I need to contact the store. I waited until 9am and I called the store where I bought the phone and they told me I need to bring in the phone so I told them I’m in Pretoria not Polokwane they said I should go to the nearest Game store for assistance. After so much frustration I went to Game Jubilee Mall, at customer service we found Nelly who was very rude and didn’t want to hear what we wanted to say, she said phones can’t be returned and I should go to the cellphone section. I went there and they all said the same thing without hearing what I want to say, they said I should go back to the shop where I bought it. So basically if you buy something in their Cape Town store and go to Jhb, you need to book a flight back to get any assistance. After many attempts, the sales person contacted game mall of the north to find out what happened after he tried putting in multiple SIM cards and trying to make it work. Game mall of north told them to either give me a new phone or a refund and they refused so he called his supervisor Mathapelo who was very rude and told me they will book my phone in for assessment or I leave their store because they can’t assist me. I called games customer care and they took my details for escalation and I told them when I leave the store I’m going to buy another phone and I want to be refunded for this phone that doesn’t work as it was my daughter’s birthday and it was supposed to be her gift and he agreed. I’m really disappointed that I had to waste my time and money for simple service, so disappointing. I wouldn’t advice buying a phone at game, ever!