Unresolved iPhone XR Issue – Urgent Assistance Needed from Vodacom

I’m writing this in hopes that Vodacom will finally step in and assist me with a frustrating experience I've been dealing with for nearly a year now.

In March last year, I purchased a secondhand contract iPhone XR from Vodacom. After about four months of use, around mid-June, the device suddenly powered off and got stuck on the Apple logo. It hasn’t been functional since then.

I returned the phone to Vodacom for assistance. However, I was told that the phone could not be repaired or assessed unless the “Find My iPhone” feature was turned off — which requires access to my iCloud account. Unfortunately, I had forgotten the iCloud password and, despite trying every recovery method suggested by Apple, I have not been able to regain access.

To make matters worse, Vodacom informed me that even a replacement was not possible due to a cracked screen, even though this issue seems unrelated to the internal software failure.

I’m stuck with a phone that I’m still paying for — one that hasn’t worked in almost a year. All I’m asking for is fair support or a practical resolution, considering that I bought the phone through Vodacom and followed all procedures as advised.

I fully acknowledge that the phone has a cracked screen and that I’ve been unable to recover my iCloud password. However, that does not excuse the fact that Vodacom sold me a phone that turned out to be faulty within just a few months. Regardless of it being secondhand, a device purchased through Vodacom should meet a basic standard of quality and functionality.

I urge Vodacom to relook into this matter, as I believe more could have been done to assist me. I would appreciate if a senior representative could reach out to me and help me find a solution. I’ve been a loyal customer and would like to continue being one, but this experience has left me deeply disappointed.