Erroneously listed on ITC by Vodacom while I don’t owe them 1 cent.

Erroneously listed on ITC by Vodacom while I don’t owe them 1 cent. I have never experienced such ********** service in my life from any service provider/*****/dishonest. And what is worst they did not even inform me I am being handed over and now trying to buy a house I am listed as a non-payer for R900. On 5 January 2021, my December invoice went off from my account. I immediately saw it was over R345, instead of R132 as I have been paying for the last 2 years. I immediately called Vodacom and asked why this amount was taken off as I didn’t even see my invoice yet as it gets sent later. I was told my contract expired in May 2020 and they granted me some covid promotion and it now ended. I was never informed of this or aware of this. I then made it clear to the agent if that is the case I want to cancel as I know I am on a month to month now seeing that I didn’t renew the contract. He then said he will give me a better price and then gave me a price of about R157. I asked repeatedly if I will not be charged the R300 again and he said NO, as I am now upgrading, and it replaces any previous invoices. I also said in that call that I will cancel if this is not the case and I was reassured it will not happen. They also said they will log a credit to be loaded for the December invoice. This never happened, but I accepted it as I just didn’t want to pay more again.

At the end of January 2021 they once again deducted the R345, I was forced to reverse it as I did not have enough funds for my other debit orders. I immediately called and said what I have done and once again said I want to cancel. 1. I did not give authorisation for that amount and 2. The agent clearly **** to me and made me agree to renew for another 24 months on false pretences. Vodacom in this case then did not hold up to their end of the deal. I do not see how I am liable for this as Vodacom broke the law. I also did not use that data ever again. This was a pure data contract, no devices involved so I did not use or get anything that I did not pay for as well. The agent at that time said another cancellations agent will call to confirm this cancellation, which did not happen. After a week I received an email stating I need to pay the invoice, I then responded to customer care and said this contract was cancelled and they need to call their relevant department that promised to call me and never did and sort it out. I am not liable for that money, so I will not pay.

Another week or so later I received a call from the accounts department. I once again explained my situation and said I will not pay until this matter has been resolved as their cancellations agents did not do their job and keep to their word. They must be help responsible for their actions. An investigation was going to happen and they would call me back. It never happened.

Another month later I was called again, and so I again said what I said to the other agents. They demanded the payment and still they did not tend to my problem of them not keeping their promise and keeping to what was agreed upon on 5 January 2021. They also did not want to listen to reason or take the investigation further. Every time I asked for a refence number, I was said I must just use my number and time I called. Nothing came from this again. Then since May I received invoices of a 0 value, which I assumed means they sorted the issue out and I now don’t owe Vodacom a cent. No one also called me after that ever again.

Now I app**** to buy a house. I have been praying and working so hard for this day for many years. I have 3 jobs and work after hours to have worked myself to this point. The Bond originator called me on Thursday morning saying that Vodacom has listed me as a NON PAYER. The banks urgently need a letter stating I paid it up in full, however the banks will still see me as a non payer and I can be declined. I explained the situation and the banks said I Vodacom can 1. clear the account, 2. Send me a letter stating that I never owed them that amount due to their error and agents not doing their job, they will ignore the Vodacom flags completely and I will have a very good credit record.

I started calling Vodacom Thursday 18 November 2021, I was transferred from one department to another. Then I was promised from Nothule at 11:50 that a manger will call me ASAP. At 15:30 no one has called yet. I called in again. Spoke to Daniel Pillay from the cancellations department for an hour. He promised to log a service call and I should expect feedback within 24 hours. He said I can call back and ask for him by name, that will be my reference…Once again, no solid reference number. The next day 19 November at 14:30 I called to speak to Daniel, the cancellations department did not know of any Daniel. I spoke to Nosipho. I demanded to speak to a manager, she first said she cant put me through to one. and also said there was no track record of me calling the day before. The only record is the upgrade on 5 Jan2021. So where are all my cancellation calls? Where are all the accounts calls when they asked for me to pay??? Where are those logs and recordings then??? She then put me on hold, as she picked the phone up again, she blindly transferred me to the collections department. I came through to a lady who instantly said she will put me through to a manager. Conveniently the line got cut. I called again the collections department. Got cut 3 times.

At 16:00 on 19 November 2021 I called again and spoke to Mpho, she was nice and tried to help all she can, she logged a service call. No manager called me or that is what I thought…. At 16:30 I received a call. All this person said was Hi, I am calling from Vodacom, is this Annuska, I said yes and she blindly transferred me to the cancellations department, no explanation who she is or what is happening. I was put in the queue. I then cam through to Mandisa, also so nice, the systems were down. She then said if it was handed over to legal, she cant do anything on her side…And just advised I call back tomorrow and speak to the legal or collections department.

Today on 20 November at 9:00 I called the collections department. Paulina picked up. I insisted to speak to a manager. She refused and said she cannot help with that, only to log a service request. She promised I will be called in a few minutes. Then said she advises I speak to customer care…by this time I am crying and so worked up yet again. Finally went though and spoke to Patricia. She works from home and also cannot put me through to a manager…WOW!!

She said a manger did indeed call me on 19 November…Zanele Mashuku is this manager’s name, this is the one that called and blindly transferred me at 16:30…Pathetic service from a so called manager… At least Patricia called her manager from her side. All she could do once again was log a service call reference: ***. She said the upgrade was done through a 3rd party and investigations need to take place. It can take 7 days… But I need an answer for the bank ASAP. I have already wasted a week. I need to get this approval in the next week as my time is running out and there are people offering counter offers for this house which will then give me a few days to get this done. I cannot wait. I demand answers before COB on Monday 22 November 2021. I don’t just want feedback. I want a letter from Vodacom stating that I never owed them that amount, and that I was listed on the ITC in error and I want it clear that in all the years since 2014 I always paid my accounts on time and in full. I was a loyal customer all this time.

I want this sorted ASAP or I am taking this matter to the ombudsman on Tuesday 23 November 2021.

No more promises, no more I will log a call, no more I promise to call back, just an email with a letter, with my name and ID stating the facts and clearing my name!!!!

Account number: I***-9 Number on the Data contract: *** My current contact number: ***

Thank you, Annuska Pretorius (Previously Du Bruyn)