SIM card deactivated without notice, trouble doing sim swap outside country

<p>Good day, I have had the same number for 3 years on a prepaid SIM, and it would be terribly difficult for me to lose this number. Unfortunately, I have been outside the country for over 6 months. 3 months ago as the SIM card was reaching 90 days of inactivity, I was SMSed and told to make a call or use airtime to keep the number so I did and I kept the number. 90 days later the SIM card deactivated with no warning and no SIM.</p> <p> </p> <p>I emailed MTN to ask for help and I got a useless reply from Nokhuthala Khoza [# ********** 6] saying that there was nothing I could do (which was wrong). I reached out to Afrihost (since I know they use MTN SIM cards), and they told me that since it was only deactivated within the past 2 weeks that I should be able to buy a SIM card and do a SIM swap. I emailed Ms Khoza back and she ignored my email.</p> <p> </p> <p>Here's the problem: I live outside the country and cannot return quickly. I have asked my sister to buy me a SIM card and she has, but the local MTN store is scared to do the swap. She is Zulu and I am white (I am married to her sister), and they say they don't trust doing a SIM swap for a black woman when the card was RICA'd to a white American. I am happy to provide my passport, lease, or whatever I need to do to prove my identity and allow her to do the SIM swap on my behalf.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have emailed customer service and they have ignored my emails (no reply at all to follow up questions to # ********** 6) and I have unsuccessfully tried to calk the MTN store she is visiting (MTN Cavendish in Claremont, Cape Town). There phone just rings and rings and no one picks up. Please can this be escalated so someone can help me keep my number before it is fully recycled.</p>