Vodacom ********* conduct. Suing me for an old cancelled contract.

<p><br />In 2005 I took out a Cellphone contract with Vodacom.<br /> <br />I went to Vodacom Westgate in Roodepoort and signed up for a 2 year Weekender package and at the time was also toying with the idea of getting a second contract (and I vaguely re-call that it was probably for data). I asked the sales person about the second contract and from what I remember asked him to sign me up. About a day or two later after re-considering the second contract (I can’t recall why I changed my mind, and I asked the sales person to rather cancel the idea of a second contract. He cacelled the second contract legally (or so he said) and from my understanding that was the end of the contract as I never heard anything about that again. I remember that I was allocated a number which differed from my Weekender Contract phone by 1 digit. At the time I was told that the only way to pay for any contracts with Vodacom was by debit order so I signed for a debi order for my weekender contract. So for the next 10 years my phone contract was paid for by debit order without fail or problems. And so I’ve been renewing my contract with Vodacom every two years without any problems. <br /> <br />In 2015 I decided to end my contract with Vodacom to start using pay as you go, as that was the cheaper option at around 79c per minute so I inquired and asked for a termination amount as I wanted to start getting the benefit from the pay as you go call rates as soon as possible due to my call habits changing. I was given a termination amount of around R1000 which I then paid in full by around June/July 2015. <br /> <br />I had no further issues until early this year when I got a call from Vodacom claiming that I owed then R2000. I was very surprised as I knew I had no other contracts with Vodacom. The consultant then went on to tell me that it was for the number that was issued to me (as explained above) more than 10 years ago for the data contract that was cancelled. I explained to her that as far as I was concerned that contract was cancelled legally with the assurance from the sales person at Westgate Vodacom hence I never heard anything about that number or ‘contract’ after that day. No invoices or any other communication for that number. The consultant from Vodacom said she will find out and come back to me .. a few days later she called me back just to inform me that they subsequently handed me over to Hammond Pole attorneys/debt collectors. And since then I’ve been hounded by Hammond Pole attorneys with emails/sms’s and calls to claim that I need to pay them or else the case will be taken to court. I even sent Hammond Pole an email saying that the 'alleged' debt as old as that must be prescribed already. The reply was that since I acknowledged debt by paying off my cell contract was admission of debt, so according tom them it was not prescribed? When I asked how that made any sense she said it was because the 2 contracts was linked to one account(how convenient).<br /> <br />So these are my concerns:<br /> <br /> <br />If the contract was in fact not cancelled, why did Vodacom not use the monthly signed debit order to pay for it. I never had any say about the month to month debit from my account as they had a signed debit order.<br /> <br />Why have Vodacom never asked me or in any way mentioned that contract or that any money was still owed? I received a monthly Electronic Statement from Vodacom for 10 years with a full breakdown of all costs and since day 1 for 10 years and never was there any mention of the second ‘contract' or 'number’. I did not keep all my statements but had a look at my statements for the last few years including the letter that advised me of the settlement amount for ending my contract and never was the 2’nd ‘contract’ mentioned… Surely if one asks for settlement on paying off a contract then if there was any debt in arrear would they mention that? <br /> <br />Why then does a big company like Vodacom through Hammond pole debt collectors find it acceptable to bully me day after day with threats via phone calls/sms/emails and then conveniently claim that the debt was not prescribed as it was part of a single account – which never reflected any outstanding money as all money was automatically taken off my account?</p> <p>And then finally yesterday I had one more call from Hammond Pole folowed by an SMS informing me that the sherrif will come to my work address this week to issue a summons. I've had it now with Vodacom.. How in heavens name do I get these people to understand that I DO NOT OWE THEM ANY MONEY....Any lawyers out there willing to help me to sort them out please and stop companies like that behaving *********ly. <br /><br /></p>