Deposit Refund withheld

I Was staying at Grand central apartment 2106, my lease was ending on the 30 April. Due to a bunch of emails from a lady named Victoria pressuring me to sign the new lease, on the 26th March i called their offices spoke to KATLEGO. I informed him that I was not intending to renew the lease because I needed a 2 bedroom apartment but due to the lockdown that was going to be effected I will not be able to move out so I needed calrity on that. Katlego advised that I will need to sign a new lease because failure to do so would be occupying the unit *******ly. I eventually signed a 6 months lease starting beginning May. on the 03 June I notified Rental Pros of terminating the lease stating the same reason that I needed a bigger apartment. I served the 20 day notice period and they sent a form that said I will forfeit R1000 early lease withdrawal penalty of the whole amount should they not find a tenant on time. For the entire month of June I was serving the notice there was no indication from their side that they are looking for someone to take up the unit nutil the day I have moved out. When I was enquiring about the deposit they refused to pay on grounds that I made an early termination. I trully believe that this is unfair i was also restricted from moving out of the apartment during level 5 & 4 of the lockdown. and the funny part is that they also sent a clause that the deposit is put in an interest bearing account but when they are now with holding my deposit they are not making any mention of the interest accumulated over the 18 month period that I they had the deposit.