MTN: You are just a number

<p>We were ****** at gun point following our youth service in church on the 5th May 2017. The ********* got away with my bag containing my mobicel tablet, bank cards, money, original ID & passport. The mobicel tablet contained my MTN sim card, which I require urgently for electronic transactions. Granted it has taken me sometime to request for a sim swap, as I was busy with cancelling & retrieving bank & other contract cards, raising funds to buy another cell, and emotionally dealing with trauma of the incident. I have yet to find time to go to the home affairs to reapply for my ID & passport. I have had to work office hours & weekends in the passed two months, so I have had limited time to sort all at once, as many working people will understand these challenges. I began the process of retrieving my old cell number on Sunday, 2nd July'17 at 8pm, I was advised by Khumbulani Khuzwayo that my number had been reshuffled due to inactivity, and I will be required to provide an affidavit & certified id copy. On the affidavit I relayed the incident & pointed out that the ********* ran off with original ID & passport. Initially I emailed a normal copy of my id & affidavit - I received no acknowledgement of receipt of my email. I proceeded to call customer care, to request Khumbulani to confirm receipt of my email. I was advised that they would log an email to him to call me back on my office number. He never returned this call. Additionally, I was advised to wait out the full 24hours to allow "customer care" to process the sim swap. 24 hours passed, no acknowledgement of my email, so I phoned customer care once again, this time spoke to Simangele & Tshipuliso, & I was advised once again that they would email Khumbulani to return my call - once again not done. I requested for Tshipuliso to restart my application for my sim swap, & forwarded the same documents. In that time, Khumbulani responded after I included his email with all the customer care agents I was interacting with, advising that they require a certified copy. I emailed certified copies of my ID, passport & birth certificate from 2009, understanding they will refer to the affidavit highlighting ****** original identity documents. They ignored the affidavit & requested certified copy under 3 months - one requires the original to have this done. So I proceeded with emailing them (Tshipuliso & Khumbulani) a recently certified copy of my birth certificate, as I type this review (Date: 6th July 2017) they have not responded or acknowledged receipt of my email. I will be attempting to call customer service once I again, & and if I understand their customer care process, they will have to log a request to Khumbulani to return my call - which he will not. I am a prepaid client, & I value my number, for MTN to reshuffle this number without notification is upsetting. I fail to understand the concept of RICA, where they request for ID & proof of residence - I understood this process was to retain my information. This review is not about RICA or MTN inability to innovate, rather the pathetic & lethargic customer service I have received thus far. Truly disappointing & disturbing attempt to assist with my sim swap. I am confident I have provided ample proof of my identification, I do understand the delay.</p>