Siyeswatini - Transmagnific (atrocious service and *********)

<p>A while back I booked a return trip between JHB and Swaziland with Transmagnific, a company that "offers a luxury" shuttle service. To my horror and dread, the taxi we were transported in, was anything but luxury. It was a substandard/inferior taxi (for lack of a better word, as some quantum are much better than this), with no head rest, passengers packed like sardines, back seat was 4 passengers and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them because you could see they were squashed. To make matters worse, no apology / reason was offered why we were using a normal taxi, until we were about to take off and I asked if this is what we were being transported in. Further, the processes were never explained to passengers, i.e. when we got to Mbabane, we were told to hand in passports and were seated in their office. The employees were busy discussing their own things and shouting, obviously, oblivious or without a care in the world of the passengers/customers in the office. After a while I enquired what time we were leaving Mbabane for jhb, seeing that we were seated with no explanation, for almost 30min and the only thing the lady could say was “didn’t they tell you”? which was obvious. I was infuriated and livid when we eventually left for JHB in the inferior taxi, and made sure I sent a complaint the following week. The complaint went unanswered until a week and 2 days when I called and demanded a response. I demanded to know why they advertise and charge passengers for a luxury shuttle, when all they offer was a substandard taxi. All the owner / director could give me were excuses of why they didn’t have the normal luxury shuttle they advertise and charge clients for, and I never received any apology from her nor any form of reimbur*****t. She was also insistent that they transport passengers from point A to B, and this seemed they were not bothered how and in what the transporting happen. Further, I told her they didn’t show integrity and business ethics as when I cancelled my one way, I was ordered to pay a R100 penalty, which I paid without any excuse, however, when there is privation in their service or mislead clients in their advert, there is no recourse or reimbur*****t. As if that was not enough, a few weeks after my experience, I transferred some of my credit to a friend who was visiting me in JHB, and when I asked her how the trip was, she was so furious and expressed utter disgust as she was also subjected to a substandard taxi transport and not the luxury shuttle service being advertised. So I wrote another letter to complain, of which, till today I have not received a response. I am not holding my breath, as I am pretty sure, no one will respond, given the previous experience with the director/owner. Moreover, when I called their offices to complain about what my friend endured, the manager told me she does not deal with shuttle schedules. Obviously, there is no leadership in this organisation, if a manager cannot take responsibility as the face of the company and the director/owner will give excuses for their shortcomings. To anyone out there, travelling to and/or from JHB, let this be a warning, there are a number of shuttle services, which offer this service, I am sure, they are more ethical and client oriented. Do not be fooled by the fact that transmagnific boast a number of years in the industry they are the best, because all you will get is a substandard quantum, atrocious service, excuses from the director/owner and if you think your complaints will be taken seriously because you are a client, well, think again!! I do not think; as long as I live, I will ever use Transmagnific. If anything, I will rather use a normal taxi services to and from JHB than pay exorbitant amounts for something you can get at less than half their fare, or even better, I will use my car.</p>