UNBLACKLISTING

I was unfortunate enough to have my phone blacklisted when it got lost. Fortunately so I thought I got my phone back in a period of 5 hours and I started the process with un-blacklisting my phone with Vodacom. I faxed my signed Affidavit, required form an d Id to the fax number that was provided. I received a ref. no. EC-OC79-23xx31. I was told that it could take up from48 hours to 7 days. I made an enquiry after a 72 hour period just to be told that I had to put my phone of during this waiting period but was told as it was Friday, if I put my phone of during the weekend a consultant would call me and she would unblacklist the phone. On the Monday the consultant phoned and told me that there seemed to be a problem as I (the owner of the phone) did not blacklist the phone!!! I told her that it could not be as I called the 082 111 number myself on the day that my phone got lost to blacklist the phone. I even had to drive back to the farm to get the box on which the IMEI number was. Then she said she would talk to her supervisor. A day passed and a lady (Pinki) form the “blacklisting” department called me to tell me that I had to find the person who blacklisted my phone. I explained how on earth should I know who this person is. I asked that as they record all the calls that she should listen to that and then she will have the necessary proof that I blacklisted the phone and that they made a mistake. She advised that I call 082 111 to ask for the recordings as she could not do it. I phoned 082 111 and had to explain the whole situation 20 times again just to be contacted by a floor manager who advised me to hold on as she was going to put me through to a department that could help met. Guess what – the line just went dead after 2 minutes of holding on. I phoned back but was told that I had to explain the situation again as they could not just put me through to the floor manager. I was then asked to speak to a Julani of the Solutions department. I asked if I would be so kind as to e-mail the documents to him and that he would sort it out the next day. Julani phoned and asked if I could put a MTN or CELL C sim into the phone and then take it out and put back my Vodacom sim. Oh my goodness. I explained that my whole family only uses VODACOM so where must I get another sim? He said that he would phone me back – it has now been 28 hours later and still I am waiting – paying for a contract phone which I cannot use. Client service is not Vodacom’s priority!!