My number deactivated/removed. I need to have it restored to me before it gets recycled to someone.

Good morning

I have had my number since 1999 (that's 26 years), initially as a prepaid but sometime during that time I changed it contract. However about 3 years ago I was out of work and had been unemployed during that time. Initially I could pay for the contract but as my money dwindled and I could not secure a job/employment, I phoned vodacom with the thought of having the contract changed back to prepaid as I could not make payments anymore. But Vodacom had someone call me to ask me to change my contract and convinced me to take a sim only contract

I reluctantly continued with a sim only contract only to get to a part where I had no source of income anymore and I could not pay even the smallest of anything as there was no money in my account. My phone was active though during that whole time and I could make calls and or receive sms's and the likes then one day, on May 15th 2025 my phone just went silent. At first I thought I had network issues, only to discover a week later or so that the phone number had been deactivated and its no longer on the network, and that was the month where I got employed finally after being unemployed for over 3 years. At the end of that month I went to make payment at Vodacom Maponya and I asked the consultant when would the number be activated, and he told me in an hour. I went home only to wait till the next morning and try Vodacom Jabulani mall to ask them when the number would be

My number has been deactivated, and is no longer in service, due to non payment. I told them I had made payment and consultant phone Vodacom Head office to enquire and I was told had I made payment within 7 days of the deactivation, they would have restored and now its completely gone.

I subsequently went to Vodacom in Midrand as well to enquire and I was told the number will be recycled but to someone else. I asked but why cant it be recycled back to me if that option is still available. I have so many things linked to that number and I have had that number over half of my life. I singed up for Vodamail email and have all my emails linked to it going back to before 2010. All my personal information is on that email address, the Vodamail is even at 86% full, thats how many emails, personal docs are on it. So what will happen to all my information and emails when that number gets reassinged to someone else.

All I am asking is that, may you kindly, please, please, please reactivate, reassign, recycle the number back to me before it is given to someone else. I am making a plea. If it can be reassinged to someone else, then please recycle it back to me as its going to cause a lot of headache if someone is able to get my information, data, POPi, emails, sms's

Please please please I beg you. Kindly assist. I saw this on the internet that there are new regulations on recycled numbers. Kindly give me 1st preference with that number, I am reaching out to Vodacom 1st to assist before it gets out of hand and now have to deal with other people accessing my personal information.

https://mybroadband.co.za/news/cellular/601283-mobile-number-recycling-rules-changes-proposed-in-south-africa.html