A horror story - a fly by night gym (PlanetfFitness)

I don't even know where to start. I am utterly disgusted, and honestly cannot express my anger towards Planet Fitness enough. I have had my membership with them since September 2020, and just last month, they did not even have the courtesy to tell me they closing down, or let alone respond to an email I sent querying this. Aniway, last month, they decided to close down the Bellville branch in which I was training, and without consulting us, or requesting permission, they transferred our membership to ZoneFitness. We were apparently suppose to remain on the same membership i.e. same membership fee I was paying, and also same plan. We were obviously not given a choice in this. I was paying R498 for my membership, and I was on a blag tag, and was thus entitled to bring a friend everytime I came for training. Now, ZoneFitness does not have a black tag membership, but guess what happened on 25 April, Planet Fitness or ZoneFitness (not really sure now) debited my account knowing very well they will be closing down, and they don't have the blag tag membership.

I called Planet Fitness to enquire about this automatic transfer, and to request a refund as I am not willing to move to ZoneFitness, since I never signed up with them, and if I so intended, I would have joined ZoneFitness from the get go. Guess what?! They told me that they can't help me, as ZoneFitness is now responsible for my membership.

I went to ZoneFitness yesterday for the first time to enquire, and no one could assist me with my refund and cancellation, but instead I was told to sign a form, and take a tag, so that I may then come back before the 20th of May to do a cancellation - apparently because debits are set on the 20th.

My major concern is, do they know of the legal implications of what they did? They in breach of contract with their members, who are now expected to pay cancellation fees by ZoneFitness as if those members are in breach. Further, members like me, have been charged more than what ZoneFitness charges on their members. Their membership is currently R315 on a month to month, for the superclub membership, but I was debited the R498 I paid for a black tag. I have emailed and logged so many queries with both PlanetFitness, and ZoneFitness, but all I am is collateral damage in their shady behavior.😔