If there was an award for the worst customer service, ARENA HOLDINGS would top the charts

Because you have not hesitated to waste VALUABLE HOURS of my time, I won't begin this email with any form of address - chances are, I will not be responded to.

But in case you're interested in knowing why I am beyond livid with The Sunday Times, please find a detailed description of my case below.

30 October 2023

I reached out to the Sunday Times to inform them that the Sunday Times had not been delivered for a few months. I buy the newspaper for my father, and after it stopped arriving, he assumed I had cancelled the subscription, which is why I only discovered that it had not been delivered for a few months. At the time, I thought it was 3 months.

31 October 2023

- Someone by the name of Dillon contacted me and asked me for my contact number. - I received the following correspondence: Kindly note that we have passed a credit for this month as we are unable to go beyond this month , please see your subscription number in the subject line and the contact numbers below , please this week Sunday if you have not received your Sunday Times by 8am please make contact with us on the below details.

06 November

Someone called Shaida from Arena Holdings contacted me to ask whether the newspaper had been received. At this point, this person was the second point of contact with The Sunday Times - Dillon was no longer assisting.

07 November 2023

- The newspaper was not delivered. - I informed Arena Holdings about this and the help desk responded and said that the 'distribution' department had been informed.

12 November 2023

- The newspaper was not delivered. - The credit was not received. - I informed Arena Holdings about this. - Wilma from Arena Holdings emailed to check whether the 'enquiry had been resolved' (clearly no internal communication had been passed on regarding my account). - I was asked for my contact number - no further correspondence was received.

24 November 2023

I received an email from Wilma which read: 'I can confirm your have a credit on your account of R178.67 for the next renewal period.'

27 November 2023

- I was charged the monthly subscription fee, regardless of the fact that there was a 'credit on my account.' - After letting Arena now about this, I received the following correspondence from WIlma: 'Kindly note that when a credit is due it remains on your account with us and normal debits will take place. The credit on your account is R20.67, may I please have your bank details on a bank letterhead in order to process your refund.' - I sent my bank account details and asked for my subscription to be cancelled. - At this point, I was informed by my father that the newspaper had in fact NOT ARRIVED FOR 7 MONTHS - not 3.

30 November 2023

I followed up on the refund. No response from Wilma.

01 December 2023

I followed up on the refund. No response from Wilma.

04 December 2023

I followed up on the refund. No response from Wilma.

05 December 2023

I emailed multiple people regarding this issue and got an automated response to say that DIllon had left the company.

07 December 2023

I followed up on the refund. No response.

11 December 2023

I followed up on the refund. No response.

13 December 2023

I followed up on the refund. No response.

14 December 2023

- I called Arena Holdings and spoke to Lisa, who informed me - in a very abrasive and passive aggressive tone, that there is no credit on my account and that 'I in fact am the one who owes an amount of R86.' - And surprise, surprise - Wilma has also left the company.

To say that I am disgusted by your level of customer service would be an understatement.

Arena Holdings is single-handedly destroying an institution that has become a synonymous part of South African media culture.