Missing items held hostage.

What do you do if Takealot did not send you everything you ordered and then sent one additional low value item you did not order? I reported it immediately. They said they would get back to me within 24h. I had to email 2x. Then got feedback after 48h. They then wanted photos of the incorrect item I received but did not order. I sent the photos. Then another 2 days. I then contacted them on FB as the help system in their website did not help. The FB team made some headway. But they asked that I send photos again and said I did not respond to their emails. Showed them I did on Saturday.

Two low value items that were missing from my order was resent on Tuesday - wonderful. They then asked that I return their low value item. They will not give me any feedback on the high value missing item I ordered. They insist that the low value incorrect item must first be returned. (I think they spent 7x more on petrol to get the item back). The courier has picked it up. Now they say they cant send my missing item until their item was returned. They don't know how long it will take for their item to return via their courier to their warehouse.

How is any of this my problem? Why can somethings be reissued/sent to me and others not? This is super dodge.

Do you make a case of theft? Seeing that I paid for something but they won't send it to me? And won't let me know if they are still going to send it?

I've never had issues with Takealot, ever and I have been buying from them for years. But this is crazy.

My biggest frustration is their lack in clear communication. I keep getting emails that the matter is being escalated (It must be with the man in the moon by now). Or to rate their service. Or review products. But you can't review products you don't receive.

Any ideas?