Telkom loses device and I need to pay

In August I took out a home data deal with Telkom at the Clearwater store. The device gave me trouble soon after starting to use it but I thought that perhaps it was something that would go away eventually and that it was probably network related. The problem persisted. After a week or two of having the device I went to the store to mention the problem I was having. This was the start of the terrible experience which I am still experiencing:

09 September - I took the device because of the problem it has. I was told that the device has nothing wrong with it. I explained that the problem happens after a few hours of it being on and that the store should keep the device on overnight and that they would see the problem of the device. I was told to bring it in again if the problem reoccurs

10 September - I took the device in at the store at about 9am. It took more than 20 minutes for the device to be booked. So I would be even more late at work because of the booking in of the device. I was told that the device would be back in 7 business days

13 September - I received a text stating that the device has been dispatched back to the store

14 September - I went to the store to get the device. I was told that the text I had received was not saying that the device is at the store and that I should wait to get a call from the store after the device has been received. I mentioned that there was no way for me to know that another call should be expected from the store because the text I had received did not mention this. Nevertheless, I walked out of the store.

17 September - I received a text that the device was ready for collection at the store. I went to the store later on that day. I was told that the device was not at the store. Again I was told that the text I had received was not one that was saying I should collect the device. I responded to this by showing the text I had received earlier and also the one I had received on the 13th. I asked how would I know that the device was in the store because I already got a text saying the device is there. The staff at this point did not know what to say to me. They took down my details and said that they would call me.

21 September - I went to the store again to enquire about the device. Again, the device was not there and questions again were posed as to whether I had received text messages and a phone call from the store. I was also told that there could be delay from the courier company that is being used to move devices. Another one was that there are 2 Telkom stores in Clearwater Mall and perhaps the device could be at the other store. However soon after having mentioned this the gentleman quickly mentioned that if that was the case the other store would have contacted them. Again my details were taken down and I was told that the store cannot track the progress of my device because the staff member that had booked it in was not working that day and would only be back on Monday 23 September. I was told that I would be called on Monday 23rd for an update.

23 September - No call from the store

At this point I have been to the store at least 5 times within the first month of this contract. I will be making a payment at the end of this month for a pro-rata amount (August) and the full amount for September. I have not enjoyed full continuous use of this device especially in the month of September where the device has mostly been with the store.

It seems that the device has been lost somewhere in the processes of Telkom and I am being made to suffer. I have even asked on whether I could cancel the contract and I was told that I need to wait for the device to get back before I can cancel the contract. So now I am caught between a rock and a hard place: I am going to pay for a device (1) I am not using (2) which Telkom does not know where it is (3) I cannot cancel the contract for (4) because I need to wait for it to return when no one knows where it is. Further to all this I am very disgusted by this service in that within a month of purchasing the unlimited contract Telkom is refusing to replace the device and give me a new one.