Vodacom recycles numbers without informing you

Vodacom deleted a number I had not used for a while without notifying me. Unbeknown to me, this number has been recycled and now belongs to someone else. I bought airtime for the number yesterday and when I found I couldn't use the card, I contacted Vodacom. Once they explained their policy which I had not heard about, I asked them to at least refund me the airtime I bought to another Vodacom number. They refused. Surely I should have been notified before they deleted my number and recycled it? They can see that I topped up airtime but can't refund me?? This is ********* practice. I can't respond to the message I received from them either so I have no choice but to share their shocking business practice with whomever cares to read about it.