Upgrade contract and sim FIASCO!!!

I have been a loyal MTN customer for nearly 20 years. Between myself and my three children we probably have had 20 phone contracts from them. <br> <br> I upgraded my account yesterday to a shiny new phone. I needed to get a new micro sim for the new phone and we did the paper work. Within a few hours, my old sim received sms's that it would be deactivated. Very rightly so. But my new sim card was never activated. When I phone Hartbee****rt they say everything is ok but the phone can not register on the MTN network.<br> <br> But they also told me that since MTN is having a strike, that NOBODY can help me. MTN Hartbeesport would not even phone support on my behalf.<br> <br> I have tried phoning support and hung on the call center phone for nearly 40 minutes without joy. Yes, I know that MTN is having strike problems but somebody should answer the phone.<br> <br> So now I am without cell phone. My old phone takes a large sized sim. My new phone takes the micro sim and that doesn't work.<br> <br> So I guess I have to go buy Vodacom prepaid in the meantime.