INTERCAPE - WORSE SERVICE EVER

Today I was supposed to travel to Durban on an Intercape coach which was to depart at 8:30am, on service number 081. At 7:30 we were asked to check in only to be made to wait on the platform for a whole hour before an employee notified us that the bus was still in Centurion. An hour later he came back and told us that the bus was now in Sandton. Which means it was now 2 hours late. He came back 40 minutes later and told us that the bus was entering Park Station. Our luggage was loaded but before we boarded the bus we were asked to wait while the driver checked if the airconditioner was working. We were beyond frustrated at this point but waited and they gave a green light to board. We boarded only to be made to wait again. After some time the driver asked us get off the bus and wait outside as they were now waiting for a mechanic to come and check the bus. We were now 3 hours late. There was no proper communication as to how the situation would be handled. There was no plan, no backup. We asked how long we'd have to wait but no one knee. We got off the bus and I headed for the ticket office to ask for a refund.

The manager on duty, I think his name is Vusi told us he had to get clearance first to do refunds from the accounts lady whose name is Danielle. He tried multiple times to reach her in front of us. She was uncooperative and she didn't give him a go ahead. At this point I just wanted to get my money and catch a taxi because I had to use public transport when I got to Durban and I knew I would struggle and it would not be safe if I got there late.

We were given a run around by Danielle and the Intercape staff until after 12pm. At this point others were talking about a diesel leak instead of the aircon. Promises were made to load us onto another bus which was parked at the station only to be told by the manager that it needed to be cleaned and later to leanr that it also had machanical problems. The refunds were approved after 12. I asked to change the time to a later bus for 8pm. Now, I had already booked tickets for the following day for me and my 3 kids to travel back from Durban to Johannesburg at 8am. I realised that now we would not make it for the 8am bus since I would be arriving in Durban in the morning. I asked to change the times for that ticket and was charged a fee of R116 to change the time to 11.

Looking at this arrangement still I realised it wouldn't work out. I went back to the ticket office to cancel all my trips. Firstly I was told that I would get the refund in the form of a voucher. Secondly I was charged a fee of R267 for the cancellations even after the lady who was assisting me explained that my cancellation was due to the inconvenience that was caused by Intercape but they didn't consider that.

I feel it was unfair treatment for Intercape to charge me a cancellation fee when I was inconvenienced by them. Also the fact that I could not get my money in cash so that I could make other travel arrangements and am bound to use Intercape even after the horrible service they gave us makes me livid. They had no plan in place to deal with eventualities yet they expect me to travel with them again (by bounding me with a voucher) after all the charges they levied on me.

I would love to get my money in cash so I can make arrangements to travel with a company of my choice.