PEP Stores' abysmal service

This email was sent two weeks ago with no response received:

To Whom It May Concern:

I bought a Mobicel Berry cellphone on the 12th June 2018 at Pep Stores Gezina (Store 5722 Pep Home Gezina) and much to my dissatisfaction found that it was not working as a new phone should. Even though it is supposed to be powered by the android system, I found that many of the Google apps froze or simply did not work. It was also quite slow during use and its screen light flickered frequently like a poor quality television set. There was so physical damage done to the phone even though all these faults one would associate wit a phone at the end of its lifespan. I can therefore only surmise that I was sold a faulty product.

Yesterday, 09 July 2018, I went to the store I purchased it from where I met Njaki Mashhaba who agreed that the phone was defective. She informed me that since 7 days had passed I was only eligible for a repair. I told her I wanted a refund which he told me was not possible with regards to a cellphone. I quoted the Consumer's Protection Act (CPA) to her which states that a consumer has the right to demand a refund within 6 months from the date of purchase if there is proof that it as a subpar product. (See Attachments for direct quotes and full copy of the act). I asked her why the CPA apparently doesn't apply to Pep Stores or cellphones which she couldn't answer and subsequently put me through to the regional manager, Annalize Maritz.

Annalize Maritz seemed to have a very poor understanding of her very own store's regulations as she said that a refund is only eligible within 7 days of purchase. I informed her that her store's Terms & Conditions make no mention of any refund but rather only speaks to replacing the phone. This is an important distinction because it seems that if one buys a faulty device (through no fault of your own) it is impossible for it to be reversed. This is in direct violation of the CPA (again see quote). While Ms Maritz' lack of understanding of her own Terms & Conditions is a problem it is minor in comparison to her customer service s****s. After we had gone back and forth about the policy and what I had agreed to she eventually just hung up the phone while I was mid-sentence. She then phoned the store again and spoke only to Ms Mashaba with no explantion or apology for her rude behaviour. I would therefore like to lodge a formal complaint against Ms Maritz for her behaviour.

In closing, the two issues I am raising here are: 1) A refund for the product I purchased as in line with the Consumer Protection Act 2) An official complaint against Pep Stores Gezina and Annalise Maritz for their handling of this matter.