Vodacom made me spend R1700 to cancel my contract, and they still won't cancel my contract with them

No consultant will get in touch with me, nor will Vodacom assist. Spent the last three hours on Twitter to get any sort of help - and there's been nothing. I reversed the payment. I don't have a contract with Vodacom, it ended March 2020. That's the end of the conversation from my side. I'm done.

It gets even better. Vodacom didn't update my profile with collections, so I've spent another 4hours trying to get this sorted, from a Cell C number, because I don't have a Vodacom line. So far the timeline is;

January 2020
1) Device ****** with SIM
2) Report it ****** and try to get replacement device through Finrite after years of insurance payment
3) Nothing. No help.

February 2020
1) Finally get the all clear for a replacement device (not within the 48hrs Vodacom boasts with on their website), told I can go to any store, any day.
2) Go to Vodashop Irene Mall. Sit another 30min with an agent, taking copies of ID, etc. 30min's in he tells me; "I can't help you on a Sunday because Finrite is not online to verify". Something I could have been told 30 earlier.
3) Upset the next day I decide to rather cancel the contract than continue any business with Vodacom. Sent a premature contract cancellation form. Phone back, tell agent okay I'll finish my month and she says she will cancel contract.
4) All Vodacom email is regarded as spam.

January 2021
1) See bills from Vodacom. First query it.
2) No response.
3) Stop all payments to Vodacom.

April 2021
1) Receive legal letter. Query why an account for a number that is not active and was reported ****** the previous year, tell Vodacom about cancellation. Ask why two more months of additional billing was added after January.
2) Told there was "technical difficulties" January, they didn't see my query.
3) Told can't cancel contract when account is in arrears.
4) Go through a few days of back and forth.
5) Give up and pay what is owed.
6) Vodacom can't cancel contract until amount reflects.
7) Wait two days. Try again. Told by agent at collections they're updating my profile. In an hour I can phone again.
8) Phone cancellations and upgrades.
9) Told go back to step 6.
10) Collections admit they didn't update profile. Told the supervisor Zanele will phone me back.
11 to 100) Zanele didn't phone back.

101) No help, no support. It is literally impossible to cancel your contract with Vodacom. I even went as far as 'upgrading' my contract today - and even that is nearly impossible. Hands down Vodacom has only ever performed poorly on all fronts. I remember back in 2014 when I started the said contract for an iPad the wrong colour and wrong spec device was delivered. The agent in store actually blamed me for not confirming, when the colour I ordered and the spec were captured - he ordered the wrong device. Really. I really don't know what to do. I'm so done. Tired. ****ed off. Done. Yet, it falls on me to sort this out. There is ZERO assistance from Vodacom, as proven again today when you're put through to department after department.

"

Dear Customer,

Thank you for the time and effort taken to voice your dissatisfaction to our office. It is with the cooperation and feedback from valued clients such as yourself that we are able to identify any areas of improvement within our organisation.

As per our discussion, your query has now been resolved.

Regards

Consumer Website Team"

No Vodacom. I am still seething and it wasn't resolved. Vodacom just took the easiest way out. There’s no responsibility, there’s no person who takes action to help or assist. There’s no manager/s to even say, “look, we *****ed up, we did A,B and C”. I have phoned every number suggested. I have blasted Vodacom on Hello Peter and Twitter. I have spoken nicely and been a ****ing rude ****. I have been helpful and short. I have tried every possible way to get assistance or help. There is none. There is no-one I can hold accountable for another month and hours being shoved from department to department. I have even tried upgrading the contract yesterday in a ploy to at least then monthly pay for a device and service, but even that is impossible. Seriously, do I need to start praying to some deity to make a supernatural appearance? If jesus swings by head office and ask that you assist me, will anyone care? What can someone do? Where can I go? Do I need to perform miracles or cultivate a large social media following or celebrity status to be helped? Should I go back to my former newspaper The Citizen and write scathing articles with proof, where the spokesperson will shrug and do nothing? What? What is needed to get something so simple, so easy right? I was still provided no answers, no sincere apologies or even the option of where to go to make sure this doesn't happen to the next unfortunate soul. You have a company that suffers from gross-negligence when it comes to support and assistance, and it is sad that ordinary people have to take time out of their day to fix the messes Vodacom makes, and then have to pay to fix those messes made by irresponsible agents and departments. Nothing was resolved, I would like a redaction on the previous message.