Active since Mar 2023
So Vodacom phones me to inform me that my current package is being discontinued and I need to make changes. I have no reason to question this information, assume it is genuine and listen to what they have to offer. I decide not to get any new devices on my current two lines and settle on what I feel is a good deal. The whole thing happens and I actually can't wait to change as the new package has a lot more data, as well as 100 minutes. When the new package kicks in, it takes me a month or so to realise that we have not received the promised minutes. First, I go into Vodacom to sort out what must be a simple error, only to be told that the deal was made online, this is a different division, I need to CALL Vodacom. I am sitting in a Vodacom shop, but they are unable to assist me. Slightly annoyed I leave with the toll free number and hope for the best. When I get through to an actual human being, I tell the whole story and wait for an apology and a quick "let's fix this right now". But alas, again Vodacom cannot help me as the people that phoned me for the package change are from yet another division. This time there is no toll free number. I now need to buy airtime to sort this out but I am still hopeful, buy a small amount as surely this will not take long to sort out. When I get to another human being, I tell my story again and before we have a resolution, my airtime runs out. At this point, I am trying very hard to still be polite. I buy more air time and try again. I tell my story again and am now told that the package I was promised at the time, was a legitimate package but the very next day, Vodacom changed their systems. What I had been sold was a data package and airtime cannot be added to a data package. They are very apologetic and apparently many people are extremely upset about this, but they cannot help me. They redirect me to Vodacom again. This re-direction happens a couple more times with no resolution. I have now spent many many hours in my day and loads of airtime trying to get what was promised to me. Next I get on to hellopeter (thank you). Vodacom phones me to talk about my review. I tell the story again. And again I am told that a data package cannot load minutes. I tell them that this is not an acceptable response and I expect them to deliver what was promised in a legal and binding contract. I thank them for recording the calls and suggest that they go back and listen. They then tell me that the only thing that can be done is to reverse the new package and return me to the old package. I tell them that this cannot be possible because they informed me that my old package was discontinued. I can only assume that this was a lie probably to try to convince me to upgrade on a new device. They tell me they can reverse it, wait a month and then phone me back to offer me a new deal. I say absolutely NOT. They phoned me to initiate this process, they have already **** to me and now I am supposed to trust that they will offer me something better in a month? They tell me that they can do nothing else for me and consider the ticket closed. I respond with saying that it is absolutely not closed from my side and I will need to consider my options going forward as this is NOT acceptable. I am in retail and just cannot spend any more time on taking this matter further right now. What I can make time for though, is this hellopeter post and my next avenue is a video detailing this story to post on as many social media forums as possible. I have no intention of leaving this 'closed'. I have 3 lines with Vodacom and have been loyal to them for more than 20 years. I am completely outraged. How can this be acceptable Vodacom? Do you really think that you can get away with lying to your customers and not delivering what you promised. Shame on you.
"Sign on to our service, we promise you BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH" which actually means we will take a percentage of YOUR hard earned money just to process the revenue that you innovate and dedicate your life's breath to keep running. When something goes wrong with your device and you cannot process sales, we will absolutely not make it easy to assist you. What we will do is make it terribly difficult for you speak to an actual human being. We will provide a Whatsapp robot response and of course we have an email address. We will happily schedule a phone call from one of our living breathing people, but you will have to wait a couple of days in the queue and then we obviously actually won't call you, even though we send you a text message to remind that we will be calling you. I really miss the days when businesses had ethics and actually cared about the service they provide. Imagine a world where businesses had an on-the-ground physical address that their trusting customers could visit to get actual service. Oh I do love to dream.
Somehow writing this makes me feel like someone actually cares; that there are living breathing people at NMBM that are proud of their job (that funds their life) and have some authority to resolve disputes that somebody employed by the municipality are responsible for. Long standing issues like the one I am dealing with are unbelievable serious in the way it has impacted my family. If I conducted my business with this kind of inefficiency and inability, I would not have kept my doors open even one day. We have no choice but to stand in line and wait and on hold politely, with kindness, and request assistance. I completely understand why good people leave this country. Thank you hellopeter for this forum that gives me some satisfaction that I can voice my frustration.
And again I find myself saying that I clicked on only 1 star because it is the bare minimum available to complete a rating. Here is my story. Vodacom phoned ME to inform me that my current package is being discontinued and I will need to sign on to an alternative package. I had been debating the benefits of staying on contract with the 3 numbers my family are currently signed up for, as we do not require a device upgrade. I thought I would listen to what they had on offer anyway. Over a couple of calls, research and confirmations of the offer, I decided it was a great deal that will suit our needs. The new package came into effect and I didn't think any more about it until I needed to make a call. I went into Vodacom to inquire as to why we hadn't received the agreed upon air time and they told me that contracts negotiated over the phone is a different department and they cannot assist. I phoned the number they gave me and was diverted yet again to another division. Elite mobile informed me that at the time of the contract agreement, what they were offering was in accordance with Vodacom department. But, subsequently Vodacom had changed their systems and I cannot receive the agreed upon contract. I needed to call Vodacom to assist. So, I was shifted from Vodacom to Elite through a couple of hours of exhaustive conversation in which neither one could help me. The operators were polite and kind but could not help in any way. Eventually, I got an operator that expedited an urgent query. I apologized that he got me, exhausted, CROSS and frustrated and told him that if there is a box there that states "extremely UNHAPPY customer" then he should definitely tick it. If I had to conduct my business in this manner, I would be living on the street. This is absolutely unacceptable, even though the operators spoke to me in a way that suggested I need to accept it. I have had a previous query with Vodacom, which got resolved after many many emails and phone calls. The attitude of not taking responsibility and making right with what they legally agreed to is appalling. Especially since they phoned ME with the OFFER that they are unable to provide. There must be more ethical companies to take my business to.
When are we going to stop allowing banks to have control of our money? This afternoon it gave me great pleasure to do a cash deposit at a FNB atm. It is the first time in years that I have been in a position to pay my creditors on time mid month. Something went wrong with the atm, it took my money but didn't register the deposit. Keep calm, I told myself, somebody inside is going to sort this for me immediately. I was in good time to fetch my daughter, as long as I didn't get delayed. The lady I was referred to took down all the details as I explained the urgency in needing to leave. When the forms were completed, I asked her when I can expect the funds to be cleared. She said it could take up to a week. I immediately told her that this is unacceptable as I have payments to make with this money and will incur levies and interest if they are not settled today. She explained that this is procedure. She cannot help me further. Sorry. I had to leave, I am IT it to fetch my daughter, I don't have time to take this further. She gives me what I understand to be the managers name and number and I leave to take this further when my daughter is safe at home. What do I get on the other side of this number, yes you guessed it, a call centre. I no longer have access to a car and cannot reach an actual human being on the phone. So I am stuck. And, I still consider myself to be lucky. How many other people does this happen to daily that do not have the resources to fight back? I will have a car tomorrow. And I will try to get this resolved tomorrow. How dare they do this? In the name of technology that fails. This is unacceptable. In my small business, if I treated my customers this way, I'd be on the street. At the very least, this is giving me every encouragement to work harder so that I can get myself to the point of not needing a bank anymore. There has to be a better way.
I tried to give no stars, but the system wouldn't allow it. In fact minus stars would be more appropriate. Besides the tricky to book website, which they have just upgraded and managed to make it even more inefficient than it was before, there is hardly ever space available in their affiliated resorts. Once you sign the contract, they make it very difficult for you to sign out. When you sign the contract they make you believe that you are buying time in one of their resorts. They take your money every month, and say a curt "i'm sorry, no space available", when you want to use the benefit you are paying for. At times, I search up to a year in advance for space in a specific resort and get no availability. No-one is accountable.
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