Vodacom Number deleted and no one can assist

My Vodacom number was deleted on 12 January 2025 because I didn't use it for a few months, I think like 4/5 months. My phone was broken and I wasn't able to get a new phone.

Every few months I would load airtime to keep the number active. I thought that having airtime would prevent Vodacom from deactivating the sim, but I was wrong. All airtime loaded, granted it was not a lot, was taken and the number was deleted.

I went into a Vodacom store to enquire about how to get the number back and also indicated that I am prepared to take out a contract, as long as I can get the old number back (I've had this number since I was a kid, probably like 20 years now), but they told me that they cannot help, because the number has been deleted.

I then went to a Vodacom 4U shop and the guy there said that I can do a request to "reactivate" the number, but he cannot help in store and I must contact customer care.

When I phoned customer care they stated that they cannot help me and said that the number will be recycled in a few months. They also stated that they would only be able to help if I was on contract before the number got deleted. I must also mention that the line was very bad on the customer care agent's side and it was incredibly difficult to hear and understand her.

I cannot understand how it is possible to give the old number back if it was on contract and then deleted as opposed to pre-paid and then deleted. If the number is deleted then it is deleted, if they can retrieve it for ex-contract then they must be able to retrieve it for ex-pre-paid.

It is also disturbing that you have to go through the whole RICA process and provide your personal information and then they can just recycle the number to someone else. Not to mention the potential POPIA violations as there are a lot of providers and creditors who send verification/personal information via text and to think that some random person in a few months will get my personal information. Even if you change the number you still get sms's on the old number.

How can I get that same number back? I am prepared to take a contract if necessary.

I have the original sim and puk the number belonged to if that helps?