Fixing of new phone

My father in law visit us in Gauteng an did his upgrade in Gauteng. A week later they travel back to KZN where they live. Shortly afterwards his phone just stop working and we send mails to vodacom to please make his case a priority as they are old age, doesn't stay near any of the children and now only have to rely on a telkom landline. Everytime he phones checking on the status of his phone, they just inform him that it is still in the workshop, no further information. It is a week later now, that doesn't seem like giving it priority.