MTN poor service

I've been using my number for more than a decade and last night when I tried to make calls I was receiving automatic voice notes saying "you're sim has been RICA barred please go to the nearest MTN store to RICA your sim for service activation". I then got another phone to try and get hold of the MTN call center, of which I got a guy by the name of Nkanyiso who told me, my number was not RICAd. I then asked how is that possible because I've had this number for more than 10 years now and it was working fine. He said there's nothing he can do, I just need to go and get RICAd. I then requested to take to his manager, who goes by the name of Cindy. I explained my situation to her and she told its a South African law that at some point in time your RICAd sim will expire and you'll have to RICA again. For one I've never heard of this law and my friends have never heard of it as well. I asked to be directed to this so called law but both consultants couldn't support their statement. With the current ***** going on where simswaps are done without ones knowledge and money is taken out of our accounts or our numbers are hacked and money is taken out, I think MTN could have done a better job of addressing this matter than just telling me to go and get the sim RICAd again as the best solution that they can give me. My number is not working and should someone need to get hold of me because of an emergency they won't be able to, should someone make transactions on my account because my number being inactive, I'll hold MTN directly responsible, for giving me the middle finger when I needed assistance from them. MTN call centres are just there to waist peoples time because they don't provide any solutions.