DISPUTE WITH VODACOM

<p>Hello Peter MR. JJ Bronkhorst</p> <p>28 Ilanga Place</p> <p>700 Klippan Road</p> <p>Doornpoort</p> <p>0186</p> <p> </p> <p>DISPUTE WITH VODACOM – JOHANNES JACOBUS BRONKHORST, ID NO: ********** 038083</p> <p> </p> <p>During January 2017, I lodge a dispute on my Vodacom Data Contract, with cell number ********** 232 regarding an unusual high data usage I was billed for, that I never used. After numerous calls to customer care for help, as well as emails I sent to Vodacom customer care, the dispute was still not solved.</p> <p> </p> <p>I even visited a Vodacom Shop at Shelly Beach Centre during February 2017 for help, as I was on holiday by that time. Another email was sent from them to Vodacom customer care, as the personnel member who assisted me, also said that something is not right at all. I discovered that Vodacom credited met with R3650, and they claimed that I have to pay an amount of R860 on my account to clean my account. I paid the amount in on my Vodacom account at Nedbank Shelly Beach against my will, as I know that I didn’t owe Vodacom that amount, and I definitely didn’t use the data they claimed I use. Up to today, I still don’t have a clue why Vodacom credited me in the first place with R3650. This is still an unanswered question. My monthly payment was R138.00.</p> <p> </p> <p>Vodacom claimed that I used the data for Microsoft updates. It is absolutely not true, but they don’t want to listen to me.</p> <p> </p> <p>I had the contract for almost 24 months, and never ever exceeded my limit of 2G per month. In fact, I always carried data over to the next month, as I only use data for my Gmail, and sometimes to Google. From the start of the contract in 2014, there was never a problem on my account, until December 2016. All of a sudden I received a bill with a ridiculous amount of R4500. Vodacom debited met with an amount R2500, and I went to my bank to reverse the debit order, as that amount is totally impossible.</p> <p> </p> <p>I upgraded my contract during the last week of February 2017, starting from the 1st of March 2017 at the Vodacom shop at the Colonnade Centre, Montana. The only time when I used my new router, was to install it on my PC, and checked if it works, period. After I saw that it works, I put it back into the package, because I was too scared to use my router, as I know that the dispute was not solved yet.</p> <p> </p> <p>I never switched it on again, or used it, or put the sim card in any other device whatsoever.</p> <p> </p> <p>Once again, I saw that the bill for the end of March 2017 is not the amount that I am supposed to pay on my newly upgraded data contract. The monthly subscription is now supposed to be R269. I lodged another dispute again, and after a mail I sent to Vodacom Customer Care, a lady with the name of Amanda Ngobeni at the Solutions Department came back to me to discuss the matter. She also said that something does not add up, and she will send my mail to the relevant Department to handle the matter.</p> <p> </p> <p>On the 30th of March 2017, another lady from Vodacom called me, and said to me in a very arrogant manner that there is nothing wrong with my account, and I must pay the full amount of R2500 for February, and also an additional amount of R700 for March 2017. I told her that I’m not going to pay the ridiculous amounts, but I will surly pay my monthly subscription. I further asked her how on earth is it possible to be billed for data usage, if my router was not even switched on. I still don’t have an answer.</p> <p> </p> <p>When I told the lady I want my contract to be terminated, because of the problem and dispute on my account that is still not solved since December 2016, she said to me that my contract expires in April 2017. How can a contract that was upgraded in March 2017, expires in April 2017? It is clear that the administration of Vodacom is not up to standard.</p> <p> </p> <p>The more I tried to explain to the lady, the less she gave me a chance to talk. She kept on talking and never gave me a chance to talk. I experienced that lady as very intimidating, arrogant and rude.</p> <p> </p> <p>I also wanted to know how it is possible that there is data usage on a suspended account. There is still no explanation or answer at all.</p> <p> </p> <p>One of the ladies that I spoke to at Vodacom Customer care, even said to me that it is very strange, as she noted on the system that it was every time the same person who made a note on the system that the problem is solved. She never mentioned the name of that person.</p> <p> </p> <p>I am extremely furious and unhappy these matters that can’t be solve, and don’t have any trust in Vodacom anymore. I also feel that Vodacom let me down as a loyal customer, and does not care about their clients at all. I was even threatened that my other contract with Vodacom, with phone number ********** 819, will also be terminated! I lost my trust in Vodacom. I feel that something seriously wrong is going on at Vodacom.</p> <p> </p> <p>Since I tried to solve the matter with Vodacom, and didn’t get any satisfaction from them, I’m asking for help from the Ombudsman to solve this unfortunate matter.</p> <p> </p> <p>I’m a disciplined person, and never exceeded any of my limits.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Kind Regards</p> <p>Mr. JJ Bronkhorst</p> <p> ********** 137</p>