Planet Fitness Notice not to renew contract

I had a contract with Planet Fitness that states that the contact will automatically be renewed after 24, should I not want to continue with the contract I must give them a month's notice to that effect. My contract was due for renewal on 01 September 2020 and I sent notice not to renew on 01 July 2020 and again on 02 August 2020. On 19 August 2020, I received an email from Planet Fitness Brakpan advising me to call this number ***, which I did. Today, 26 Aug 2020, I receive a call from *** saying I need to pay a cancellation fee, when what I gave them was a notice not to renew the contract. I have been with them for 24 months, (01 Sept 2018-31 Aug 2020) and have given them 2 months notice and now I must pay them a cancellation fee, because their system sees my intention not to renew as a cancellation? It is not my fault that we were on lockdown. According to my contract, I have been with them for 24 months. Nothing in the contract says if the gym is closed, then those months wont be counted. These people just want to rip us off.