Vodacom dodging refund

Last year, on the 3rd July 2018, my husband paid Vodacom R1874.60 by mistake whilst doing an online payment. He should have paid the beneficiary he had listed next to Vodacom’s name. He had had a contract with Vodacom a few years previously (he is now with MTN) and never deleted the beneficiary off his banking app.

It is now almost a year later and I have still not been able to get Vodacom to refund his money.

Initially, I managed to get hold of the legal collections department. I sent through the proof of payment, as requested and was told the money would be returned within 7 days. Nothing happened.

I called back. Please send through the documentation again. We did so and still nothing. I called again. Then suddenly I was told the account was not actually in his name. A bit of mad scrambling and this was indeed correct. His mother had opened the account for him years previously. Now, his mother began to phone. Same procedure - call centre, wait 20 minutes if you are not disconnected and must phone back again, told to send documents again, payment will be made in 3 working days, wait, no money, phone back again.

Suddenly in February we are told the refund will not be returned as it was payment settling the balance on an outstanding account. This is said without a s**** of paper proving such. My husband has not been with Vodacom for years now suddenly he owes them money? Surely, he would not have been able to end his contract if this was the case? Surely we would have received an invoice or letter of demand or something requesting this “outstanding” amount being settled?

I have since sent emails to the woman we were dealing with at Vodacom direct email account, no reply. And now to top it off, if you contact the call centre on ********** I cannot get past the automated voice prompt because my husband’s number is suddenly now no longer listed as a Vodacom number. Please call again later the man tells me.

I am writing this here out of sheer desperation. I cannot get help anywhere, the money does not belong to Vodacom and it is totally wrong for a company to make it this difficult for an individual to receive a refund.