******* and de*****ed by a Vodacom salesman

I will tell you the whole sorry story as it's quite complicated. Apologies for the length. I have two numbers , so I'll deal with each individually. My account number is ***4.

1. ***

On 14 January at approximately 14.50 a salesman whose name is known to me (not sure if he is from Vodacom itself - I thought he was) offered me R379 per month on a 24 month contract for a Samsung S20 FE phone and a 500Mb 50 mins contract (not telling me that it wasn't a top up). He initially offered me a contract for 36 months but I insisted on 24 months (repeating this numerous times) and he agreed to this. Later in the month I discovered that the contract was set at 36 months which was the start of my epic journey. It was eventually declared a dispute (they listened to the recording of the conversation with the salesman) and the dispute was decided in my favour. Many phone calls later, they decided they would cancel the upgrade and would collect the phone ( I had even bought a cover and screen protector which I've had to return to Loot at my expense). They gave me a reference number ( RCO 181 427) and said that arrangements would be made to collect the phone. I also received an sms about two weeks later saying that someone would be in touch with me, but nobody has. Shockingly, I received an email today - see copy below:

Service request reference number *** resolution state that the query was escalated to rewards but there is no resolution to subs query. I have escalated to follow up with your query reference number is ***. Feedback will be provided in 3 to 7 working days.

They do not mention the collection of the phone, cancellation of the upgrade - it's as if I have now gone back to square one. I keep getting fobbed off, with them saying they'll contact me within so many days - 14 is a popular number. But no one ever gets back to me.

All I want now is for them to cancel the upgrade, collect the phone, repay the money they owe me. I want a Flexi Top up contract like I had before and I will start on a completely new upgrade. I am really sorry to lose that lovely phone, but I cannot afford the R499 per month for 24 months. Very different from the R379 that the salesman promised.

2. ***

This is a sim-only number. The same salesman on the same day, unbeknown to me, gave me an upgrade without my permission. I want to cancel this contract and when I phoned about a cancellation I found out about the unsolicited upgrade. This now means that I have to fight for the upgrade to be reversed before I can get it cancelled, which I suppose will be another huge fight. I spoke to a lady called Nadia on 28 January and she gave me her email, to which she didn't reply anyway. Instead of paying R39 on this number, I am now paying R156 for a handset that doesn't exist and now R200 for this unwanted, unasked for upgrade.