MTN billing on paid up account - cannot switch to prepaid and services have been disconnected

feel emotionally traumatized by dealing with mtn, I never imagined switching to prepaid to be such a nightmare as it seems like dealing with a non existent organisation. .nobody calls, nobody responds to emails; and when you try their call centre on 135, you might just hang on the line for a day or two. All I want, is for my number to be switched to prepaid, as my phone contract is paid up already. I have written to ***, ***, complaints@mtn co.za ; and no one seems bothered. The store at nicolway said they cannot do anything; so how can this be resolved where communication is one sided? I asked them to cancel billing, but they still debited my account; which I reversed...now my number is disconnected and service suspended. I never thought I would say this; but I hate their service and lack of customer care. Nobody in the organisatiom cares!

The below is my communication to them without success:

From: Bernadette Madondo <***> Date: Wed, Oct 14, 2020 at 2:06 PM Subject: Please cancel billing and switch my number to prepaid To: <***> Cc: <***>, <***>

Good afternoon, I trust this finds you well and I am hoping that at this point something will be done by MTN regarding switching my number to prepaid.

After a failed attempt for an upgrade, I decided to switch to prepaid instead as my account is paid up and requested that this be done (via various communication channels on the attached documents). I have written to MTN via FB and have engaged with Philani and Sbu who have escalated the issue several times. I have written to customer care and they have escalated this to retentions ...but to date nothing has been done.

On the 2nd of October; following my request that MTN stop debiting my account, the D/O amount of R259 went through my account. I requested that the bank reverse this as I had instructed the service provider to stop deducting this amount; but an sms that my account had been changed from d/o to cash for billing was received on the 6th and on the 12th of October, data and airtime was loaded onto my number... followed by MTN suspending my line on the same day.

I went to your Nicolway branch yesterday (13 October) hoping to get some assistance from an MTN representative, but was told that MTN will never reverse the current airtime and data loaded and the only solution was to pay and the branch cannot assist me in any way; only retentions can cancel the billing and if I don't make the payment or choose move to another service provider, I would lose my number and be blacklisted by MTN.

How does this get resolved? Calls to 135 remain unanswered, Philani and Sbu on FB apologize and escalate the issue; @*** have endlessly apologized and escalated the issue as well as copied @*** who have not responded to any of the emails. The branch cannot help me and advise that @*** is not a person, hence would be fortunate to get a response from them; and I should start by making a payment for them to try and intervene. If paying is the only solution, how will this end; who do I speak to...who can help; why is this happening? Does it have to end badly for us all?

Can somebody from MTN please help me.

Regards,

Bernardette Tafadzwa Madondo

#***

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Customer Care <***> To: <***> Cc: Bcc: Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2020 08:52:33 +0000 Subject: Re: CANCEL MY ACCOUNT PLEASE!!!! [#***]

Good day Bernadette,

Thank you for your email.

We apologize for the delayed response and for any inconvenience incurred.

Kindly be advised that we have sent an email to our Retentions department to prioritize on your enquiry as per reference number SR # *** logged with them.

Please note that as soon as the enquiry is resolved ,feedback will be provided. You may also contact them on *** for follow up.

We trust that you find the above in order and we look forward to being of service to you in future.

Kind Regards, Thobekile Khuzwayo MTN SA

Reference Number: ***

--Original Message-- From: *** Date: 12 Oct 2020 10:24 AM To: *** Subject: Re: CANCEL MY ACCOUNT PLEASE!!!! [#***]

Good day, I have repeatedly been requesting that you stop billing on my account and switch it to prepaid. I have sent numerous emails, written on FB; all I get is apologies and no response. Now today, this morning MTN has cut me off...what do I do?

On Tue, Oct 6, 2020 at 7:37 PM Customer Care <***> wrote:

Good day Bernadette,

Thank you for your email.

We apologize for the delayed response and for any inconvenience incurred.

Please note I have escalated the query to Retentions supervisor to assist,they will revert back to you with feedback.

You may also contact them on *** for follow up.

Kind Regards, Thobekile Khuzwayo MTN SA

Reference Number: ***

--Original Message-- From: *** Date: 6 Oct 2020 06:34 PM To: *** Subject: CANCEL MY ACCOUNT PLEASE!!!!

PLEASE CANCEL BILLING ON THIS ACCOUNT AS IT'S EMOTIONALLY TRAUMATIZING NOW!! MY PHONE IS PAID UP !!!

Yello Customer!!Your Payment Method has been changed to Cash for Billing Account Number : BA***.Thank you for using MTN

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bernadette Madondo <***> To: *** Cc: Bcc: Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2020 18:34:33 +0200 Subject: CANCEL MY ACCOUNT PLEASE!!!!

PLEASE CANCEL BILLING ON THIS ACCOUNT AS IT'S EMOTIONALLY TRAUMATIZING NOW!! MY PHONE IS PAID UP !!!

Yello Customer!!Your Payment Method has been changed to Cash for Billing Account Number : BA***.Thank you for using MTN

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bernadette Madondo <***> To: *** Cc: Bcc: Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2020 14:15:17 +0200 Subject: Fwd: Automatic reply: ***3 [#***]

Good day after numerous emails and enquiries, I would like to LEAVE MTN, may you please cancel my mtn bolt debit order, (and switch to prepaid) that I have requested on FB, on separate emails and tried calling 135 that is never answered. Please, please please cancel this debit order as I have waited long enough and am tired!

BT Madondo

***

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Bernadette Madondo <***> Date: Sun, Sep 27, 2020 at 11:27 AM Subject: Re: Automatic reply: ***3 [#***] To: MTN Sales <***> Cc: <***>

Good day; its been 15 working days since my submission and have not been informed of the status of my application. It's okay; may you please cancel the current debit order I have with you for airtime and data and cancel any other pending requests with yourselves, as I have waited been your loyal customer, but still get nothing but silence from you.

It's been good doing business, but it's time to move on.

On Wed, 23 Sep 2020, 12:45 AM MTN Sales, <***> wrote:

Dear Customer,

Thank you for your email.

If you have already submitted the requested documents for your MTN application, we assure you that your documents have been received and we will contact you if we require anything further.

Once your documents have been processed, you will receive an SMS from MTN to let you know if your application was approved or declined. Please allow at least 5 working days from date of submission of your documents to receive this SMS confirmation.

Kind regards, Document Collection Team Mondo on behalf of MTN Direct

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: MTN Sales <***> To: Bernadette Madondo <***> Cc: Bcc: Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2020 09:27:50 +0000 Subject: Automatic reply: Automatic reply: ***3 [#***]

Dear Customer,

Thank you for your email.

If you have already submitted the requested documents for your MTN application, we assure you that your documents have been received and we will contact you if we require anything further.

Once your documents have been processed, you will receive an SMS from MTN to let you know if your application was approved or declined. Please allow at least 5 working days from date of submission of your documents to receive this SMS confirmation.

Kind regards, Document Collection Team Mondo on behalf of MTN Direct

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bernadette Madondo <***> To: *** Cc: Bcc: Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2020 20:12:00 +0200 Subject: Re: Fwd: ***3 [#***]

Good day, I received two sms's stating that my query has been closed; where is the response to my query? Can MTN just tell me yes or no to my application; then I know to move right along PLEASE! While you're at it, please cancel the monthly debit order and switch my account to prepaid.

.

Dear Customer,Your query *** has been closed. Please contact call center if you require more information. Thank you for using MTN. Have a Y'ello day.

Dear Customer,Your query *** has been closed. Please contact call center if you require more information. Thank you for using MTN. Have a Y'ello day.

On Mon, 21 Sep 2020, 12:52 PM Customer Care, <***> wrote:

Good day Bernadette,

Please note that the below information has been forwarded to our Sales Support Team for their attention and further assistance, you will be contacted for feedback.

Kind Regards, Nandi Xabanisa MTN M

MTN Made for me We trust that you find the above in order.

Kind Regards, Nandi Xabanisa MTN SA

Reference Number: ***

--Original Message-- From: *** Date: 09/21/2020 10:12 AM To: *** Subject: ***3

Good day can someone contact me and advise on the status of my order.

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bernadette Madondo <***> To: *** Cc: Bcc: Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2020 10:12:09 +0200 Subject: ***3

Good day can someone contact me and advise on the status of my order.

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: <***> To: <***> Cc: Bcc: Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2020 14:26:34 +0200 Subject: MTN Contract Application Confirmation

Y'ello, Bernardette Tafadzwa

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bernadette Madondo <***> To: Bernadette Madondo <***> Cc: Bcc: Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2020 12:36:55 +0200 Subject: FB messenger communication with MTN

Good evening, following your automated response below; I have patiently waited for 3.5 business days (Saturday included) and what seems to be "32 business hours" including Saturday or just under 27 business hours excluding the Saturday, and haven't received any response from MTN. I was hoping that by writing to Complaints directly, and after exhausting all possible modes of communication to the best of my ability; I might just get someone to hear me out.

I am out of all options now and do not know where to go from here, if nobody from MTN responds (all I get is automated responses and confirmation that my query is closed). Now my line is completely blocked from incoming and outgoing calls; the branch cannot help me, dialling 135 and trying out all the available options hoping to get an operator, I've always given up after staying on the line for over 10min at any given time.

What do I do now if there is nowhere to go and nobody to assist? All I need is to have my line switched to prepaid and billing cancelled.

To Bridget and Mamello, I sincerely do apologize; but all I am hoping for is that maybe by writing directly, I might just get someone to hear me out. I am really out of options (I have resorted to searching for possible direct email addresses on the internet).

Regards,

Bernadette

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Good day Neo, I trust you are well.

I got your email address from a friend; I have been trying to have my cellphone number converted to prepaid and haven't received feedback regarding this issue from Retentions. May you kindly assist.

My number is ***.

Regards,

Bernardette Madondo