Vodacom takes sadistic pleasure in making my life a living hell

<p>June 2004 - I buy a sim card but no phone. I use my mom's phone after hours with my new sim card</p> <p>November 2004 - I purchase a phone of my own and use my same number</p> <p>August 2011 - I take that same number and port to the Vodacom network. I became a Vodacom prepaid customer.</p> <p> </p> <p>October 2014 - The job I was working wants to re-imburse the airtime we spend. I go to Vodacom shop for assistance in this matter since I mainly purchase airtime via cellphone banking. Could I maybe be able to get the receipts mailed to me? or a list of airtime bought at month end? Vodacom says "NO" and agent suggests getting a contract. I am personally against contracts and want an alternative that doesn't involve me giving my employer my bank statement. Vodacom convinces me that a contract is the ONLY way to go. Okay Vodacom, let's do this SIM-Only contract because I have a phone and everything, all I really want is anything I can use to get reimbursed by my employer. </p> <p>nb. - Vodacom you really need to consider the fact that pre-paid customers might need a possible list of transactions.</p> <p> </p> <p>February 2016 - My employment ends</p> <p> </p> <p>March 2016 - I phone Vodacom to inform them that I am no longer employed and I will not be able to pay for the contract. Vodacom see my plight and understand that I no longer have ANY income and tell me that I need to pay for "Half of the remaining contract term" to cancel. I realise that maybe they didn't hear me clearly enough when I said I had NO money so I repeated that and they were kind enough to inform me that they don't care about my situation and that I need to incur another financial burden to relieve myself of their financial burden. Vodacom cares</p> <p> </p> <p>April 2016 - Find a way to pay for this contract. I also acquire the Vodacom legal extension 1905. For those not aware, that number will redirect you to their customer care 111 line every single time unless your contract is in arrears. EVERY TIME. Okay Vodacom, so the only way I can speak to legal is to go in arrears. DONE</p> <p> </p> <p>June 2016 - August 2016 - Legal are just the worst. I am told about Hellopeter and in August of 2016 I write a review detailing my experience on Hellopeter (https://www.hellopeter.com/vodacom/reviews/vodacom-where-the-client-s-voice-isn-t-heard-but-definitely-charged-for- ********** ). Within a week of putting up the review, I'm removed from the contract (with 1 month remaining on it. So considerate). I wish I had known I had a big brother out there because talking to Vodacom directly has such amazing results.</p> <p> </p> <p>September 2016 - I am now a Vodacom prepaid customer with an outsanding bill I still cannot pay.</p> <p> </p> <p>March 2017 - I enter into an arrangemet to pay a certain amount a month till I can clear the outsanding balance.</p> <p> </p> <p>Since my unemployment, I have become self employed and even though the business isn't generating a lot of revenue, prospects look promising. The main way I get contacted is through my cellphone number.</p> <p> </p> <p>15th of July 2017 - I get attacked by five ****s. They make off with my cellphone and wallet. I'm happy to have no serious injury and still alive. I decide to start trying to get my things in order. Get a sim card and borrow a phone. Attempt a sim-swap to get my number back. I am told that I cannot get a sim-swap by both Vodacom pre-paid consultants and Vodacom contract consultants. I am informed that the number is under Vodacom legal and they are only open on Weekdays.</p> <p> </p> <p>17th of July 2017 - I phone vodacom legal to get the sim swap is under way and I am informed that the SIM-swap will not be possible. NOT NOW, NOT EVER. It turns out my number has been deleted or is in the process of deletion. (I don't even know what that means). This number I have had since highschool. This number that I know use to generate some income to pay back Vodacom what I apparently owe them. This number no longer exists and I can never use. 13years of history, 6yrs of Vodacom loyalty only for Vodacom to tell me..."You'll just need to get a new number"</p> <p> </p> <p>Wow. This is truly a unique way to treat customers and Vodacom takes the cake in being by far one of the biggest hindrances to me trying to change my circumstances in life. This is an act of pure malice that Vodacom can take MY number and simply just delete it because they decided to ensure I remained with a financial burden, and even with a payment plan in place still decided to delete MY number.</p> <p> </p> <p>I need Vodacom to inform me if I can port my number to any other network because you have made my life a living hell and I can see even with a previous hellopeter review you have no intentions on stopping anytime soon. You honestly have no empathy. You can keep the payment plan in place but please stop holding me hostage and let me and MY number find a new network so I can continue to rebuild the life that you take pleasure in helping tear apart.</p> <p> </p> <p>Thank you for your time and consideration.</p> <p> </p>