************ Business Practices

I have been a patron of Musty Plaza for many years, by virtue of my living in the area. Therefore, it pains me to lodge this complaint, but feel justified as the management of the KAZANG PAY, whom are responsible for the electronic payment apparatus which the store uses, had been given ample opportunity to remedy the situation. The store takes advantage of the fact that they are basically the only store in the immediate vicinity which caters to the needs of the community. I essentially have a few complaints to which one could no longer turn a blind eye and goes against the grain of good customer service. I was made aware last year of a grave, injustice perpetrated against mainly the poor community members in the area and the matter reared its head again this year. The business owner apparently charges whoever uses the pay point services an extra service fee of up to R10. This is for every time they use their card to pay for a purchase and this is in addition to the charges levied by your own bank for that particular transaction. I see it in the sense that should any person be “Ripped-Off” at a rate of between R5 and R10 per transaction and this store does more than 100 transactions per day, as many community members use the store, then this store is making a huge “Killing” each day, in this manner. I am an activist in the area and after conferring with many of my fellow community members, this has been the “Status Quo” for the longest time. These community members, for the most part, have no other option, as they essentially have no other place close to their homes to buy their grocery goods and especially “Prepaid Electricity”, this in light of the fact that it even expressly states on their slip that “You may not be charged any fee except what’s printed on this slip” . These community members are most often oblivious of their Consumer Rights. Feeling empathy for These community members, I took it upon myself to confront the owner regarding their “************” business practices. I found the Owner/Manager, rude, aloof, and quite hostile. I then duly informed them that it was “Day-Light *******”. He has this inherent condescending manner of speaking and is not open to discussing and/or acknowledging her business practices. I can only surmise that the shop owner is a law unto himself, as he stood his ground and was very brazen in his interactions with me, and seemed confident that there would not be any repercussions resulting from his conduct. He even had the audacity to challenge me to report to whomever I want, as she is “not answerable to anyone”. I however took the matter up with KAZANG PAY, whom are the owners of the apparatus used by the “************ Shopowner”. This done to ostensibly inform the company of the ************ deeds done on their devices, as the this “Daylight *******” could not be perpetrated in any other manner. Effectively making them complicit in this “*******”, as they are allowing it, by not removing the devise from the vendor, as a form of punishment. However, the management of KAZANG PAY, are indifferent and simply “Open and Close tickets”, when you complain, as if it was their favourite past time. Nothing gets done and the “************ Shop owner” continues unabated. While complaining to KAZANG PAY, an innumerate number of times, I was astounded by the attitude of their management while going through the “motions” of the normal complaint procedures. I could only surmise that the management had the propensity for this behaviour and probably subscribes to the notion that certain sectors of the community do not have the fortitude to complain and pursue a matter when they are treated with such disdain, hence them “Closing” complaints as soon as they are lodged, without any resolution offered. No one at KAZANG PAY, even bothers to call you in order to remedy the matter, but rather the complaints are closed on their computers as soon as they are opened and seems accustomed to treating complainants in this manner with impunity in the past. People simply resign themselves to the “Status Quo” prevailing at the business, in the interest of “Keeping the Peace”. In my opinion, the management of KAZANG PAY, has no grasp of proper Customer Service. What KAZANG PAY is effectively telling me, but not in so many words, was that the community’s problem with the vendor, was not their concern and that we should go sort out our issues on our own. It makes them (KAZANG PAY), by virtue of their association with the vendor, complicit in the "crime" perpetrated against a destitute community. Furthermore, after conferring with my fellow colleagues, some also using the services of the store from time to time, they all concur that it goes totally against the grain of what “Fair Treatment” and “Good Customer Service” are all about. I sincerely hope that not one more KAZANG PAY customer has to endure this treatment. If this is the treatment that the community members are subjected to, then I am afraid it leaves much to be desired. This issue smacks of prejudice, which invariably leaves a bad taste, and I am sure that KAZANG PAY would agree that not a single community member or any person using their services through various vendors has to endure this atrocious level of treatment. In light of the above, it therefore also begs these questions; • “How many other customers are being subjected to similar treatment, but opts to rather not pursue the matter, because they might not have the fortitude to do so?” • “Is it beneficial for poor community members, to be a customer of the business, when they are subjected to this level of treatment and alternatively would the KAZANG PAY management, personally tolerate this kind of treatment were they in our position? • “Are all customers and others, being treated in a fair and equitable manner, which is in line with the ethos and the values, which KAZANG PAY aspires to for the customers who use the services of their vendors?” • Will, we be justified in escalating the matter to an alternate dispute resolution body in the event that the matter does not get resolved amicably via this internal process? It is unfortunate that I had to proverbially; “Rock the Boat” in order to air my grievance, but I need the KAZANG PAY Management to “PROPERLY” remedy this situation in the interest of fair and equitable customer treatment. I have not experienced such bad treatment in a long time, not even from your less sophisticated competition. Now some people might say that this whole issue in question is minuscule in the greater scheme of things, I am sure that you would agree that this conduct would also be unacceptable to the normal person on the street. Normally, it would probably not elicit this reaction, but to me personally, the manner in which innocent poor community members are being treated is what “Grinds my Gears”. Under normal circumstances, I would have let it slide, but it is just that I am disgruntled with KAZANG PAY ’s attitude towards me, as it has strengthened my resolve and I feel justified in escalating this matter, as this is not just a matter of venting my anger; it is a Matter of Principle. I realize that this matter might still have far-reaching implications, but I am willing to soldier on.