Virgin Active Accounts department are robbing me blind

I had a Virgin Active membership via Vitality from January 2019. Later that year, my Vitality was canceled due to loss of employment and my monthly fee with Virgin Active went from R327 to over R950. There was no communication with me when the change happened.

I received calls in December informing me of the arrears on my account. They told me that I only had 2 months left on my contract and that a cancellation fee of R4K. I explained my situation to the accounts team (4 Dec 2019) and they asked me to provide them with an affidavit in order to reduce the cancellation fee. I sent them my affidavit (9 Dec 2019). I followed up on 28 January due to no response and was told that they didn't receive the affidavit, I resent it (30 January with confirmation of receipt 31 January). No response came after this.

On 4 March 2020, I get a notification that my account was handed over. I was busy trying to resolve this matter with the accounts team and they brazenly told me that accounts that are 3 months in arrears get handed over- I was in conversation trying to resolve- I provided all evidence required, I followed up when ignored and was subsequently shunned and handed over.

This debt went from R4K to over R5K now even with me paying R200 a month as I didn't have much income.

I am extremely frustrated about this- I think I was treated unfairly by Virgin Active and will never sign up with them again. In addition to this complaint, I am submitting this complaint to the relevant ombud as I don't think I should have to pay the full settlement based on my circumstances as well as the collection fees from the attorneys handling this.

Virgin Active reference- Case: HYm4Uf, Ticket: XZCx7z