Unresolved Dispute

I cancelled my contract with Vodacom on 31 July 2017 for various reasons. To date it has not been closed on their side rather having been changed to a prepaid. They are still, however, attempting to retrieve the debit order amount at the end of each month.

I have phoned the call centre twice, on each occasion waiting twenty-so minutes for the 'right' person to be able to 'assist' me. On both occasions Vodacom acknowledged that the had record of my request to cancel my contract without it being converted to anything. They are not able to answer why the original request was ignored. Due to this the number became a prepaid allowing them to continue debiting my account. On the first occasion I had to submit a dispute. A consultant contacted me within a few hours all apologetic reassuring me that it was an erroneous act on their part and that withing 7 working days all money owed to me would be returned along with my profile being closed. That was 11 working days ago. 9 working days ago I tried again. The same tailored replies and assurances where given. However, I was told that the first consultant was incorrect as the process can take between 7 and 14 working days. Day 14 has come and gone.

I went to my bank to return the debit order and within a few days received an SMS from Vodacom stating that my name had been handed over as a bad payer. What 'nonsense'! When I asked the consultant on the second time of phoning whether I would be receiving a letter from Vodacom stating that the error was on their part and that in fact I am not a bad payer she stated that was probably unlikely and that I would have to take that up with their legal department. When she tried to transfer me the automated message said that the legal department was closed until 12:00 due to the large volume of work to be done.

So now I return four months of debit orders and receive more SMS's from this unprofessional, ********* and highly inefficient company or I waste more airtime to receive the same tailored responses. It would help if the consultants gave numbers whereby clients could get hold of them directly instead of going through the call centre.

What else can be done when they no longer adhere to the Ombudsman and ICASA?