virgin active is a ****

i have received a very disturbing message from virgin active, they are demanding that I pay an amount of R1200 which they claim is arear amount for when I was still a member of the gym in 2022, how is it possible that in over 24 months there was no call, no email or text and all of a sudden i owe you. i cancelled my gym membership because of covid and having to relocate. i took out my contract in 2019 and during covid when i tried to cancel, i was told to pay a smaller amount to keep the account active. i called after the contract ended and it was duly cancelled, now 26 months later i receive a message saying i have arears