Bad service at MTN

To whom it may concern

Last week I took a contract phone with MTN at Waterfront in Cape Town it was on Wednesday 10th April 2019. The contract was approved on Friday the 12th of April 2019. On the same day which is Friday I requested a sim swap and I was told I rather wait for Saturday 13th April because a sim swam cannot be done after 18H00pm. Then on Saturday the 13th of April a request was submitted and I paid R115 for a sim swap. I was told that the sim swap will be processed and it will take 24 hours for the sim card to be active, and I can be able to use the phone. To unlock and activate the phone I should come to the shop, the technician will assist me in regard with the phone being active. On Sunday the 14th of April 2019 I went following the instructions but I did not get assistance because I was told the technician does not come over the weekend he will only be available betwee 9:00am to 19:00pm on Monday to Friday. Today Monday the 15th of April 2019 I went to Waterfront for my phone to be activated because all along I am unable to use the phone. The consultant whom I did not keep his name told me that the system is down as a result my sim swap did not process. Then I asked what should I do in the mean time? He said I should stop doing up and down I should wait until the phone works. I then asked how would I know the phone or the sim is active. He told me to just wait. Again I asked for how long should I wait before the phone is active or sim is working. He told me it can a day or 2 days or a week but I shouldn't do the up and down by coming to the branch I must call 135. That responce left me confused because I explained I dont have a phone hence I am applying for a new one. I remained confused and the consultant was very rude, talking to me like I am a child and did not give me enough time to respond neither to explain my frustration instead he was in a hurry to get rid of me. I decided to go to another MTN shop at Canal walk to see or to get more clarity and maybe another view that I can understand. At MTN shop Canal walk I explained my frustration to the consultant. Also I asked him whether does he have any knowledge about the system that is down since yesterday. His response was not according to his knowledge not unless MTN water front had a load shedding. I then enquired that is it possible that another branch of MTN experience the system that is down and other branch does not. He said no all the shops are using one server from MTN. He then checked using the number I have sim swapped on the system. Then he said according to the system my contract has been uploaded and sim card is also linked to the contract phone. He also mentioned that he is unable to explain why the phone is not working. He called the MTN water front and requested to speak to the manager. Then the manager by the name of Shaun said there is an error on sim card hence I am unable to use the phone. Shaun told the consultant at Canal walk that he will log the call. So the consultant at Canal walk advised that I should go back to them they are the ones that should be able to assist me. He said I should request to speak to Shaun he is the manager at MTN water front. On my way back to Water front I asked myself the following questions: Why did they lie to me and say thier system is down? Why should I have a phone that is not working especially IPhone 8 out of all phones and I am unable to use it? For how long if I did not go to Canal walk should I have waited? Why was I told to stop doing up and down when I was responding to their instructions? Why should I be liable to pay for the phone that I did not use? Why did they wait for another consultant from another branch to tell me that the error is with sim card? Based on the above questions I decided I no longer want the contract with MTN Water front. I decide to return the phone and cancel the contract. On my arrival at MTN I requested to speak to Shaun and I told him I dont to discuss further but I have decided to cancel the contract and return the phone. I requested papers of cancellation. Shaun told me he is not the manager and both the manager and the supervisor are not there I should come back tomorrow. I expressed that I'm not comfortable going to them because I have already been told that I like to do up and down. I am also surprised that how can a branch operate without a supervisor or manager? once again I was taken for a ride. Now I am stuck the phone that I am unable to use and the sim card that is not working. all I am asking is to cancel the contract and get my R115 refund.

Ms Tsidi Malapane Junior Lecturer Department of Management and Project Management Business Faculty Cape Peninsula University of Technology

P. O. Box 652 Cape Town 8000

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