Vodashop Airport selling network locked phones and lying they are unlocked

Bought a new phone from the vodashop at the airport and the consultant explicitly said the phone was not network locked. I was travelling outside the country and it was a gift to someone who is in a different county. On arrival the phone did not work and unfortunately there is no vodacom service. Now the phone is 3 thousand km away and not working then vodacom says l must return it. How do they expect me to return it when I specifically asked the salesman and he said its unlocked since l was going outside the country. Vodacom is this how you cheat travelling customers at the airport? We need to resolve this Vodacom.