mtn Horrid Service and lack of regard for Clients

On 22-09-2020 I went to MTN Eastgate downstairs to do my upgrade, I was assisted by Richard Dlepu. We worked on the phone even changed the length of my contract to 3 years to qualify for the galaxy S20 ultra 128GB....and pay less than R1000 a month...I signed where he showed me on the contract and come to the phone, he wanted me to hang around Eastgate for about an hour so as the vault where the stick is kept takes forever to open and that he could serve the other customers. I was cool without decided to go sit in a restaurant eat and drink, on my way back he had the box out already waiting for me...I remember him tearing the plastic of the sim card needle to remove from my phone I was using into the new phone, and doing WhatsApp and more transfers from my old phone to the new one. That evening I opened the box to look for the charger to charge the almost flat battery, Friday I realized my WeChat was still on the old Phone...I struggled to get it on the new phone and quit as messages were not coming thru with the code to activate it. I just remember keeping it on charge when I got to a charging area as the battery would be very low, but in my head, though perhaps it’s because I did not charge it for 24hrs when I got it started using it with immediate effect and knowing the Saturday I would be getting to my daughter that us very clued up with technology and she wud sort me out, not really much that Saturday as they were busy, but we tried to figure out how to use the phone with fail Sunday, the phone remained at home on charge so that on Monday 28th the first thing I did is go to Richard and all I cud think of is my WeChat as I do business from there and what's app...till that morning I took pics with the phone from the old one that was still connected to WeChat for WhatsApp clients...he was very obliging, did it for me and I thought I'm set...going up I remember I don’t know how to screenshot so I go past Samsung and I learned 3 things from them that day, including a screenshot, my battery was still getting drained badly when I teach home I need to charge... Tuesday 29th I went past the branch and they were closed. Richard was not at work and her colleague sent me upstairs to where Henrietta is and she could not help me as I did not have the cover on the phone and why is shop l33 downstairs sending me to them, she also wanted me to bring the box and all accessories that were given to me back. I went to collect them .. the pin was missing...the person I saw using it is Richard...obviously, he did not put it back in the box and only now I learned there is supposed to be a manual in there that was also not there. I did not get it and I was sent back to go get the phone cover that I left home, she called Richard who told her he would come to drop off the 2 items. Wednesday 30th I decided to go past Richard on my way in to see if he had sent the stuff, but his colleague came to the door to say he is off that day and they cannot help me as they busy changing management I must go upstairs, Henrietta assisted me, the 2 items were not brought to her and he was off, she too did not feel it's worth changing the device as she looked they and said there are too many apps running in the background. She called Samsung and sent me to someone to help turn off the apps as she could not...I did go there, she counted and confirmed no stress, tomorrow u can still come to exchange the device if the battery still runs low within a few hours Thursday 1st October around 8 am, I could see whatever they did, did not help save this battery, so I call looked at the number from Google and a lady answers...I wanted to speak to Richard and it seemed like a problem to put me through. I had to dial another number, I then asked if that is the case if I can speak to Henrietta, she responded like she is her and I said I'm the lady that came in yesterday, you need to exchange this phone as the battery still dies within hours. She was going to ask Richard to bring the items that were missing in the box and they will be ready for me. Around 12 I arrived there, no Henrietta no one knew whom I had spoken to that morning and they could not help me as now the 7 days have elapsed the computer rejects exchange and Henrietta will have to handle my issue as she is off yesterday Thursday... Friday 2nd October today I find her and I can hear the stories have issues so I cut the stories short as they confuse me and ask what's the issue here, they cannot exchange the phone now....she is going to have to book it in on warranted.. she called the manager as I could not accept that. The manager was saying as on the computer there is nothing that they can do. I was livid, it’s not my fault that after all these days this device cannot be changed, they actually send me up and down and around just that I end up giving the very same phone in for warranted inspection. We all know what is wrong with this phone from Monday. Just they were not prepared to do me the service since there were too many issues involving thus devise Taken from the one shop been sent to another that was not prepared to take over someone’s job!!! It does not matter how my temperature raised they were just not interested and they continued to victimize me for their internal issues!!! I said I do not want that phone. I will leave it just walk out. The manager said that would be my problem as she too will just look at it until I come back to get it...the blame stories started amongst them, manager says Henrietta should have changed the phone the first day I came in there...she says also all the missing stuff and that Richard says on Monday I did not mention the battery...so all the blame lies on me because all I wanted was to upgrade my phone!!!. I ask the manager to speak to the boss...she says she is the boss, but cannot bend to help a customer. I asked your superior as evidently, you cannot help resolve this problem, she said MTN...they the bosses that will not even talk to me. I know my rights as a consumer. I came within seven days to change my device and the MTN employees were not prepared to assist me. I did everything they asked me to do and still, I was met with horrid service. I’m at a point where I feel I no longer want this device as it's causing me so much grief and MTN is not willing to assist me when I’m within my rights.

update- November Month I called their line 135, the service champions whom every time I wud start all over with my problem and they would apologize for the inconvenience I've had gone through more than 15 times. I was told to go back to Richard as only he can cancel the contract. Friday 13 Nov, he too wanted to assist me but mtn had blocked my phone and his computer from seeing my contract with them as I stopped the payment with them, now this is over 3 months later going up and down the branches without coming out with a resolution. he was talking about implications and that he could not just do that he needs to access the account. Saturday 14th November I called 135 again as advised by him so I pay up what's outstanding several times they cud not even assist me with the banking details..finally, a man picked up and said he wud unblock my phone..sent me the details hence I intended to pay. I went instore to Richard who could still not access the account saying it will take 24 to 48 hours to reflect and because they closing the accounts on Tuesday rather come then. Arriving there on Tuesday 17 November Richard again was off work and the manageress promised that she wud bring him the Wednesday and they wud call me...they did not to now..the colleague who went into my account the Tuesday 17 November said if I want to cancel the contract as we called 135 again...I need to pay up R23000 for them to do that with me taking their device that is still lying from Samsung a replacement or without. Already I've been paying for that device that signed the contract for that is still lying upstairs at their other shop just not wanting to hear anything but I come collect sign off that brand new replacement device that I now refuse to accept. I've just learned its R699 a month excluding the contract from the first month of signing the contract with them to now without the device...and they simply will not cancel the contract that now all I want is my cellphone number back to do what I want with it as now I'm unable to utilise it without their contract as now it belongs to them due to the signed contract.

So basically I'm paying for a device that I do not have. I've been running too MTn branches like a headless chicken trying to sort this out. My phone has been disconnected for weeks. I've contacted icasa, tried emailing higher powers at MTn ( and their emails bounce back). but I'm getting no joy at all...