VODACOM, MTN AND iSTORE, NOT GOOD ENOUGH

FIVE MONTHS AGO, IN AUGUST 2024, a good friend of mine had her cellphone number ported from MTN to Vodacom. Ever since then, she has not had any one-time passwords (OTPs) or verification codes sent to her phone, nor any notifications from her bank advising her of transfers on her account. As a result she has not been able to respond to any message requiring an OTP or verification code. In the last few days she has also lost her WhatsApp service, which she's been unable to update because updating requires responding to a verification code THAT SHE DOESN'T GET. Her loss of WhatsApp means she is unable to contact her daughter and family in Australia, or communicate with her pupils (she's a pianist and piano teacher) except by sms or expensive calls. Over the last several months she has made countless visits to the Vodacom shop in Longbeach Mall, the MTN shop in the same mall, the Vodacom shop in Constantia Centre, and the iStore in Constantia Centre. ALL TO NO AVAIL, AS SHE'S JUST BEEN PASSED FROM PILLAR TO POST, WITH NO RESOLUTION IN SIGHT. REPEAT - THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR FIVE MONTHS (AND COUNTING), AND REQUIRES MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL)