NETWORK OPERATOR CHEATING AND LYING TO THEIR CUSTOMERS

THE PROBLEM

My cellphone number was deleted by Vodacom, citing arrears on a contract that was: 1. Upgraded on 04/02/2022, 24 months term (I was specifically asked to circle and initial) 2. I telephonically requested cancellation on 26/02/2024, as I had been retrenched from my job and could no longer afford the R3500 instalment, and was informed by Vodacom that my contract expired on 31/07/2024, and to cancel, I would have to pay all the instalments for the remaining period (5 months) as well as a cancelation penalty 3. On 27 March 2024, I submitted a payment to Vodacom of R11 125,60, covering outstanding arrears and the instalment for March 2024. Again, I was telephonically refused cancelation and told my contract was until 31 July 2024. 4. In September 2024, my number was blocked, upon inquiry with Vodacom, I was informed it was due to non-cancelation of my contract that I was billed for August and September 2024. When I inquired about the expired contract, I was informed that since I did not call Vodacom within 20 days to 31 July 2024, I was now on a month-to-month contract with original contractual terms, hence had to pay my contract instalments of 2 months for August and September 2024. 5. I was coerced by Vodacom to make a payment arrangement for that amount, in order for my phone to be unblocked and moved to a prepaid line. 6. I indicated that I was not in a position to pay these arrears, as I was unemployed and re**** on ad-hoc jobs I got as a nurse selling my services directly to the public, but was informed that was the only way my number could be unblocked. 7. I requested a copy of my contract, Vodacom said they would send it, and never did. 8. From August 2025, my number was blocked and I could not load airtime, could not make outgoing calls, and when I inquired, was assured that my number was not blocked but I had to pay the outstanding arrears from Aug-Sept 2024 instalments. On 29 October 2025, I was given, by various agents, different USSD codes to try to unbar my number, unsuccessfully. 9. On 3 November 2025, my number was deleted by Vodacom around 12h00. 10. On 11 November 2025, I went into the Vodacom store Menlyn Mall, where I had taken my cellphone upgrade, to ask them to call Vodacom for me to find out why my number was deleted, and was informed by Tshepo Jack, the agent I spoke to, that my number could be restored within 7 days provided I paid the full arrears of >R7000 I was owing for the 2 months when I had not cancelled my contract. I requested a copy of my contract from the store manager (attached), and this is what the contract showed: - The upgrade was done on 04/02/2025 - There was 1 month instalment for the old handset payable until end of the previous contract, on 31 March 2022, and this was added to the next month's instalment. - The new contract was a 24 month fixed-term contract (although it states that the contract term date is 10 May 2022) Vodacom: 1. Did not notify my either by call or in writing within 40-80 days pf the pending expiry of my contract, as stipulated by the terms and conditions (neither before 04/02/2024 nor before 31/07/2024) 2. Despite my call requesting cancellation and citing my recent retrenchment and affordability on 26 February 2024 and on 27 March 2024, forcibly kept me on a contract that had reached term, under false pretext of my term date being 31 July 2024, compelling me to pay R3500 every month until then 3. Reverted my contract to a "month-to-month" from August 2024, and billed me for August AND September, despite the month of August not having been paid for 4. Refused to send me a copy of my contract, despite numerous requests from myself. 5. First restricted my number from loading airtime and making outgoing calls, eventually deleting it completely on 3 November 2025, despite evidence that my number had been in use until the day it was deleted, receiving calls daily. 6. I called Vodacom on 19 November 2025, and spoke to Precious Hlazane from the collections department, who, upon my stating the above facts, assuring her that I had retrieved the copy of my contract from the store where I had taken the contract, said she was escalating me to her manager, and I would receive feedback from them within the hour. 7. No feedback came on the 19/11/2025, until I called them on 21/11/2025 from 12h00, to follow-up 8. I spoke to the following agents: - Abigail - Presley Harding - Refiloe Maake - Nompumelelo Ndlovu - Makwena Matshwarello - Nokwanda Mnokwe - Precious Hlazane (previously spoken to on 19/11/2025) - Simphiwe Goga who all sent me from pillar to post, completely refusing to let me speak to their manager/transfer me to the pre-legal department. In fact, there seemed to be a concerted effort to frustrate me by denying me access to anyone that could advise what Vodacom standing was on the inconsistencies with my contract dates and terms, and the fact that my number was deleted on an incorrect technicality! I recorded all the conversations with the agents I spoke to, to highlight how completely unhelpful and condescending the Subscriber Collections department was, telling me they could not transfer me to managers, could only escalate my issue to their managers by email, and I had to wait for feedback, despite having been promised the same 3 days beforehand. Between 12h00 and 17h30 on Friday 21/11/2025, I was calling Vodacom trying to get a resolution to my deleted number, that I had owned since May 2017, and most of the agents I spoke to tried to pin the fault on me for not having given notice of cancelation, for being in arrears for 2 months of month-to-month billing, and for having my number inactive for more than 90 days, necessitating their policy of cancelation. I have informed Vodacom that as a Nurse/Midwife providing ad-hoc services, this is the number my clients reach me on, the number on all my marketing material, printed and distributed, and since I had been using it since 2017, I rely on it. I also had 2 other numbers as part of this contract, a data sim, as well as additional number that my daughter was using, which were all deleted together with my main number.

WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN?

1. I would like Vodacom to restore my deleted number back, as I am using it as part of my business operations 2. I would like Vodacom to justify what they were billing me for (R3500) for the 'arrears' in question since my handset was fully paid-up, and they did not offer me new terms for continuing the contract 3. Vodacom should admit their guerrilla methods of forcing me to stay on a contract I could no longer afford, I was no longer beholden to, lying about my contractual terms and refusing to provide the copy of the contract despite numerous requests for them to do so!