Takealot Refusing to Accept Return of Defective Item

I bought two Aluminium Windows on the 3rd June 2022 and submitted a return on Friday 17th June when I realised that one of the windows was bent and broken in one of the corners. I opened them when renovations started and hence the exchange was submitted then. However the agent said it was past 7 days and they have rejected my return request and returned the broken Aluminium window back to me. According to the Consumer Protection Act I can return defective items as a consumer. I’m very disappointed in the service I received from Takealot as what harm could I have possibly have done to an Aluminium Window to break and bend Aluminium? Takealot needs to take accountability and as a consumer I deserve a better service than this for money. What am I supposed to do with a bent window? Defeats the whole purpose of installing new windows.