Vodacom Recycling my number after i had been their customer for 18 years using the same number

Early January 2019 i wrote a review about Vodacom Recycling my number after a few months of not using it cause i was over seas, they responded to my review promising to contact me shortly, shortly has not happened and the person they recycled my number to is happily using my number and receiving all my smses . I had been using the number for 18 year how does Vodacom make such a decision and recycle my number to another person without my knowledge . Vodacom had my contact information from the time one of their sales consultant decided to give a contract to another person **********ly using my details, even if my number was not working they should have sent me an email to notify me on their intended actions. I dont how are they going to sort this one out and I dont care but I want my ********** 700 number back in my name