Late repayment fee charged to an up to date account unfairly

I’m a contract holder at Vodacom & my account is paid via debit order monthly on 25th which is my normal pay day.

So in September, considering the 25th fell on a Sunday, my salary was paid on Friday 23rd, due to Saturday being a public holiday.

In the same breath to maintain a good record with all my accounts, I need to make sure all my accounts are up to date. Hence my due instalment for the month of September was paid on the Vodacom app on 23rd September.

I understand Vodacom had already sent for the debit order run on my account for the 26th September, which is why I didn’t mind the unpaid/returned debit order fee that my bank charged me for the bounced debit order.

Then Vodacom says I owe them R100.88, I do not acknowledge this outstanding amount as Vodacom made the option of me paying on the App available, withholding information that I would be charged for this instalment not running as a debit order.

What is the R100.88 for, am I now being charged as if my account was behind, whereas I payed prior to the debit order date? What am I paying for exactly?

According to my knowledge this amount is supposed to be allocated for late payment on one’s account, so why am I paying it.

Further to my frustration, I just called in from my *** number & spoke to an agent by the name of Charles Khumalo, whom in my opinion was very rude & arrogant not wanting to explain to me why I am being charged, whom forced upon me that this amount is a fee for the bounced debit order. Even after I explained to him that but my account is not in arrears. I further asked Charles Khumalo why would Vodacom make the option of an instant payment via their App available to me, then turn around & charge me said I’m arrears, when I’m not. Again very forcefully he told me that I have an arrangement of paying via debit order so they will charge me is I don’t pay via debit order. I was not & still not satisfied with this explanation, & also Charles kept talking on top of me demanding that I listen to him all the time even when I needed clarity. Since he was not willing to clarify, I asked for his team leader, he advised that he doesn’t have an option of transferring me to his team leader rather he will ask his manager to call me back.

Can I please get assistance as I am very frustrated & very disappointed at this point as I feel I am also being charged like an arrears client,when I am not & I deal this is wrong & unfair.

Further later during the day, a Vodacom agent called me claiming to be Charles manager, still not giving me a valid explanation for the penalty, still also demanding that I listen to her as I am liable for this payment & carried on to say the Vodacom app is an automated service, after which I wanted to know who does the so called automated service belong to & who does she represent,as she kept speaking as if Vodacom has nothing to do with services encouraged on their app.

Can someone please review my query & please give me a valid explanation as to why am I liable for this R100.88, otherwise I am taking this up with the ombudsman.

Thank you Lihle Hlatshwayo