Scores reflect the Overall AI Score for each category
Based on recent customer reviews, Virgin Active South Africa is described by members as a brand with strong facilities in places but severe administrative failure everywhere else. Reviews are dominated by cancellations that are not processed, debit orders that continue for months, Vitality discounts never applied, and complaints that disappear into unanswered inboxes. Praise, where it appears, is almost always attached to individual named staff rather than to systems.
Top Strengths:
- •Customer Service, Staff & Experience: Members single out named staff such as Siya, Nomthandazo, Itumeleng and Ntabiseng for warmth and effort, and clubs like Steenberg, Milpark and Bel Air for cleanliness. This is undercut by locker thefts, rude reception teams and long unrepaired equipment.
TrustIndex
1.8
NPS Score
-87
Recommended: Unlikely
Dec '25 - Nov '26
Frequently Asked Questions About Virgin Active South Africa
What do customers say about Virgin Active South Africa?
Based on recent customer reviews, Virgin Active South Africa is described by members as a brand with strong facilities in places but severe administrative failure everywhere else. Reviews are dominated by cancellations that are not processed, debit orders that continue for months, Vitality discounts never applied, and complaints that disappear into unanswered inboxes. Praise, where it appears, is almost always attached to individual named staff rather than to systems.
What is Virgin Active South Africa's biggest strength?
Virgin Active South Africa's biggest strength, according to Hellopeter's AI analysis, is Customer Service, Staff & Experience. Members single out named staff such as Siya, Nomthandazo, Itumeleng and Ntabiseng for warmth and effort, and clubs like Steenberg, Milpark and Bel Air for cleanliness. This is undercut by locker thefts, rude reception teams and long unrepaired equipment.
What are the most common complaints about Virgin Active South Africa?
The most common complaint about Virgin Active South Africa, based on Hellopeter's AI analysis of recent customer reviews, is Communication & Complaint Resolution. A recurring theme is silence. Emails go weeks without reply, call centre agents drop calls mid-query, promised call backs never arrive and managers are described as permanently unavailable. Members report being cycled between branch and Head Office without resolution.
Is Virgin Active South Africa trustworthy?
Virgin Active South Africa has a TrustIndex of 1.8 out of 10 on Hellopeter, based on 471 reviews in the last 12 months. Hellopeter has tracked Virgin Active South Africa across 8,460 total reviews. How is the TrustIndex calculated? →
Recent reviews (471)
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Share Your Experience1 reviews | Active since Nov 2026
Virgin active rewards
Virgin active has changed its rewards programme without consulting with us members . The new rewards system is disappointing to say the least and definitely do nothing to motivate me .
1 reviews | Active since Nov 2026
Virgin active rewards
Virgin active has changed its rewards programme without consulting with us members . The new rewards system is disappointing to say the least and definitely do nothing to motivate me .
1 reviews | Active since Nov 2026
It is all about the shareholder, ***** the customer
Virgin Active is behaving like a business that believes its customers have nowhere else to go. Build dependence, get people into contracts and routines, then steadily reduce the value they receive. This is exactly the monopoly-style behaviour people mean by "enshittification". Removing the guaranteed weekly reward while dressing it up as a "more personalised experience" feels insulting. A predictable, tangible benefit has been replaced with more complexity and less certainty. Calling that an improvement doesn't make it one. I strongly suspect there is a spreadsheet somewhere calculating how many unhappy members might leave versus how much money will be saved on those who stay. I haven't seen that calculation, but this decision certainly feels like a consultant's presentation mattered more than members' actual experience. For me, there is no genuinely comparable, practical alternative offering the same combination of locations and facilities. Switching means disrupting an established routine. That makes staying a necessity, not a vote of confidence. What angers me most is the apparent willingness to spend customer trust for financial gain. You may save money and still retain members, but don't mistake that retention for satisfaction or loyalty. If your customers stay because leaving is difficult, that is not a customer-experience success. It is a warning about what your business has become.
1 reviews | Active since Nov 2026
It is all about the shareholder, ***** the customer
Virgin Active is behaving like a business that believes its customers have nowhere else to go. Build dependence, get people into contracts and routines, then steadily reduce the value they receive. This is exactly the monopoly-style behaviour people mean by "enshittification". Removing the guaranteed weekly reward while dressing it up as a "more personalised experience" feels insulting. A predictable, tangible benefit has been replaced with more complexity and less certainty. Calling that an improvement doesn't make it one. I strongly suspect there is a spreadsheet somewhere calculating how many unhappy members might leave versus how much money will be saved on those who stay. I haven't seen that calculation, but this decision certainly feels like a consultant's presentation mattered more than members' actual experience. For me, there is no genuinely comparable, practical alternative offering the same combination of locations and facilities. Switching means disrupting an established routine. That makes staying a necessity, not a vote of confidence. What angers me most is the apparent willingness to spend customer trust for financial gain. You may save money and still retain members, but don't mistake that retention for satisfaction or loyalty. If your customers stay because leaving is difficult, that is not a customer-experience success. It is a warning about what your business has become.
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2013
New App destroying the fun factor
Virgin active new rewards program actively discourage people who does weight and general fitness training All it cares about is you attending some classes or cycling classes Spend time doing weights or running and it does not care It has gotten to the point where each time I have to open the stupid f'ing app I get angry I want to remove this utter ... app from my phone and go back to card in my wallet rather At least then It would be clear you get nothing else abd it does not try and push you into other stuff Please bring back access cards and get rid of this stupid app
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2013
New App destroying the fun factor
Virgin active new rewards program actively discourage people who does weight and general fitness training All it cares about is you attending some classes or cycling classes Spend time doing weights or running and it does not care It has gotten to the point where each time I have to open the stupid f'ing app I get angry I want to remove this utter ... app from my phone and go back to card in my wallet rather At least then It would be clear you get nothing else abd it does not try and push you into other stuff Please bring back access cards and get rid of this stupid app
1 reviews | Active since Mar 2013
Exclusivity for some members to have their own venue and rules on expense of the majority of members from the
Exclusivity within Sunningdale Virgin Active, which restricts members who are wearing shoes to do their workouts even if there are no classes. Despite the big numbers which the club has to accommodate. There is no interference to the yoga classes which the studio is exclusively secured for. Yoga classes do not take place in the early mornings, peak hours where most people are at the gym. The studio should serve as an overflow for members to utilise while there are no classes. It should not be a great deal, but the rigid rules are purely imposed on the expense of the majority paying members.
1 reviews | Active since Mar 2013
Exclusivity for some members to have their own venue and rules on expense of the majority of members from the
Exclusivity within Sunningdale Virgin Active, which restricts members who are wearing shoes to do their workouts even if there are no classes. Despite the big numbers which the club has to accommodate. There is no interference to the yoga classes which the studio is exclusively secured for. Yoga classes do not take place in the early mornings, peak hours where most people are at the gym. The studio should serve as an overflow for members to utilise while there are no classes. It should not be a great deal, but the rigid rules are purely imposed on the expense of the majority paying members.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2017
Virgin Active South Africa - once you signed up, they DONT CARE!!!
Very unhappy client this morning. A sales Agent signed me up for a contract. He assured me when I signed up, ensuring me that he will be watching my account and will see to it that my Vitality will be activated and I will be credited accordingly. THIS NEVER HAPPENED. Since August 2026 I was charged R1300 in stead of R237.50 as he quoted me. When I spoke to the person at your call centre yesterday, she said I cannot be reimbursed !!!! I want to cancel my membership with IMMEDIATE EFFECT. This will cost me roughly R3000.00 This will not happen. AFTER YOU WERE ONLY INTERESTED IN SIGNING ME UP AND THEN NOT WORRIED ABOUT MY INTEREST ANY LONGER, I WILL NOT PAY A CANCELLATION FEE. You are only interested in making money. I will NEVER BE PART OF VIRGIN ACTIVE ever again. This complaint will not end here. I will take it further to the necessary authorities
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2017
Virgin Active South Africa - once you signed up, they DONT CARE!!!
Very unhappy client this morning. A sales Agent signed me up for a contract. He assured me when I signed up, ensuring me that he will be watching my account and will see to it that my Vitality will be activated and I will be credited accordingly. THIS NEVER HAPPENED. Since August 2026 I was charged R1300 in stead of R237.50 as he quoted me. When I spoke to the person at your call centre yesterday, she said I cannot be reimbursed !!!! I want to cancel my membership with IMMEDIATE EFFECT. This will cost me roughly R3000.00 This will not happen. AFTER YOU WERE ONLY INTERESTED IN SIGNING ME UP AND THEN NOT WORRIED ABOUT MY INTEREST ANY LONGER, I WILL NOT PAY A CANCELLATION FEE. You are only interested in making money. I will NEVER BE PART OF VIRGIN ACTIVE ever again. This complaint will not end here. I will take it further to the necessary authorities
1 reviews | Active since Nov 2026
Virgin Active Club V's are unsafe for children
My child got injured while in the care of virgin active Club V at Little Falls and has had to get medical attention which Virgin Active is not getting back to me with compensating for costs incurred. We've had back and forth engagements with no resolution.
1 reviews | Active since Nov 2026
Virgin Active Club V's are unsafe for children
My child got injured while in the care of virgin active Club V at Little Falls and has had to get medical attention which Virgin Active is not getting back to me with compensating for costs incurred. We've had back and forth engagements with no resolution.