Online tracking not working for 5 months

I have been receiving an error message when tracking my appeal application since October 2017. I raised this to the vfs help desk via several emails but only to be told that the matter has been referred to the department that deals with such issues. Its now 5 months since my first email to VFS. I have also gone to the Brooklyn branch in Pretoria three times to report this issue. All I got was a promise that the issue will be resolved. This application was submitted in January of 2016 which means its more than two years without getting an outcome. I wonder why I was made to pay R1350 at VFS when they are not able to offer assistance when matters like these arise.