28 Days of Chaos: Takealot Approved my R5,899 Refund, then Trashed the Item and Kept my Money

I am writing this out of absolute desperation and fury. For 28 days, I have been trapped in a customer service nightmare with Takealot regarding Order #***. I have been gaslit, ignored, and now, my property has been destroyed while they sit on R5,899.00 of my money.

The Timeline of Failure: - 4 May: Ordered a Mix Box Electric Height-Adjustable Desk for R5,899.00 - 8 May: It arrived damaged. I initiated a return the very next day - 11 May: Takealot collected the desk - 15–18 May (The Gaslighting): After days of silence and no email communication, I had to open a help ticket myself only to find my return was declined Takealot (Titanian.M) accused me of "user damage," sending photos of a box that had been clearly smashed and crushed in their own transit network - 18 May (The Proof): I fought back with time-stamped "before" photos proving the desk was structurally sound when I handed it to their courier - 18–22 May (The False Hope): Two different agents, Shaina.B and Yanga.K, formally approved my refund in writing, admitting the damage was not my fault (I still have these emails saved) - 20–25 May (Logistical Incompetence): Despite the refund approval, a courier tried to dump the broken desk back at my house on 20 May. I refused it On 25 May, Yanga.K confirmed she had intercepted the item specifically to bring it back to the warehouse and finish my refund - 1 June (The Final Injustice): After waiting for the money to reflect, I was told by Melissa.Z that my refund is now denied because the warehouse "disposed of the item" as "abandoned"

The Policy Breach: Melissa.Z claims the item was abandoned because it wasn't delivered within 30 days. This is a lie. I refused the delivery on 20 May. As of today, only 12 days have passed. Takealot’s own policy [Section: Taking back your item] explicitly requires a 30-day waiting period before disposal

Takealot has admitted in writing that my refund was approved. They confirmed they were in possession of the item on 25 May. They have now destroyed the evidence of their own transit damage and are using that destruction as an excuse to keep my R5,899.00. Demand: This is a flagrant breach of Section 56 of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA). I have already provided every piece of evidence required. I am no longer accepting "we are looking into it" as a response. I require my R5,899.00 refund immediately.

Ticket Refs: #***4 / #***4 / #***1