Vodacom wont reactivate my numbers

I got retrenched over a year ago and have been battling to keep up on my vodacom contract payments. I made an arrangement to pay my account on a later date than the one usual month end debit order date. I was told that I had not kept to the agreement and my line was deactivated. The guys I spoke to urged me to make a payment before the 29th of July. I then made two payments before the 26th but was told today that my number had been deleted off the system and I have to pay the full outstanding balance of my contract and that I cannot get my number back. I feel like Vodacom took advantage of me and is forcing me to pay out my contract before the end of it and if I fail to do so, they will simply blacklist me and claim more money from their insurance.