Vodacom
reviews and complaints

In 2007 I signed-up for a 36 month contract with vodacom. The contract was for a mymeg500 + laptop, which I later changed to a mymeg2000. 3 years later, my contracted ended and vodacom decided to charge me an extra r3 826.97 for what they say is money I still owed on the laptop. I have spoken to vodacom countless times and they still can't explain to me why I have to pay this amount, if the laptop cost was suppose to have been part of the contract. There is times I even have been told that this amount was for extra usage, which is also impossible since I had a limit on my data package. Then, a few months ago I went to vodacom and was told that according to their system I only paid for 2 years.

Today I was sent a statement that I got from a lady in the legal department, dated back to 2006 (When I had a cellphone contract). Going through the statement, I noticed the amount of r3 826.97 that they invoiced, but still no indication of where this amount came from.

I wish I could deal with one person only, who is friendly and willing to get to the bottom of my problem. Every time I have to speak to a different person and everyone tells me a different story.

I had a gap contract with vodacom 2 years ago. AFter the 2 years, my gap contract was supposed to end - it had no limit btw. When I went to upgrade my contract, there was no problems, they signed my phone over. AFter 6 weeks, my phone was blocked. I went to the store in Cape Gate who told me I was placed on a gap contract with a limit (without my knowledge). They gave me the accounts department nr. I tried to phone them - I kept getting disconnected or put through to customer care, who could not help me. When I eventually spoke to the accounts dept, they told me they would reconnect the phone immedialty and pay my R500 deposit back within 7 days. My phone is not connected yet after 26 hours. I tried calling the accounts dept again - but had the same problem. My calls do not go through to the accounts dept, I keep getting customer care or getting disconnected. The customer care consultant also informed me my contract has no limit, but the phone was cut off because I 'reached my limit'.

On the 29th of January @ 18:19 my boyfriend bought R110 Vodacom airtime for his 3G card for his USB modem. He then punched in the airtime & did not convert the airtime into a data bundle and also didn't use the USB modem for the entire day. Then yesterday, 30th of January 2011, we wanted to go onto the Internet, we then connected to the Internet, & he check his email for not evens 3 minutes. I then asked him if he converted his airtime into data bundles, he said no & when I wanted to convert his airtime into data bundles, we were notified that there is no airtime on the sim & that the balance is R0.00. We then phoned customer care & were told that the time we check his email, our airtime was used. The lady (not sure her name) but we made the phone call at past 11 the evening, was so rude and came up with more excuses than anything else, ready to pass the buck instead of explaining. Also how can R110 airtime disappear in less than 3 minutes? Impossible! Or is Vodacom a big Cheat.

I am pleading with Vodacom to please block a certain cell no from my phone as i am receiving porn as well as harrasing smses. I have been to the police station and completed the nes documentation. It is now becoming to much and out of hand, I do queston the mere fact that the service provider Vodacom can allo such appauling messages to go through their data base. This is not the first time i have called in to complain and i question the mere fact of how may porn is being sent via your database. The person involved is using your service and he is a contract subsriber, and i will go as far as i have to to get this sms'es as well as tel calls to stop, should you the Provider not do anything about it. I was told to change my cell no and i refuse to do so as it is now the 7th time that i have changed my cell no. I am crying out that someone at Vodacom do something about this as it is unethichal. I question your integrity as a service provider cause how many of these porn has been sent from this person no using your database to send it around. It is horrific to see that someone can stoop so low. PLEASE BAR HIS SMES AS WELL AS CALLS IMMEDIATELY.

My phone is being spammed by calls from unknown numbers and Vodacom is 'unable to keep track of the numbers of incoming calls to my number and we are unable to block calls of unknown numbers. The only option is to report the issue to the police or block the number if you know it'. What a load of bull.

I will report this to the police since Vodacom is breaching my privacy. I am disgusted by your attitude of not giving a hell of what happens on YOUR network or clients.

So please help me or I will take steps against you. I'm really an unsatisfied customer at this point.

I purchased a Blackberry 8900 on a contract with Vodacom - Fourways on [protected]. 2weeks ago the phone just switched off as i was trying to accept a call. It later switched itself back on but the scrolling ball was not working at all & a few hours later the screen went blank. When I took it to the Vodacare in Fourways Mall they told me that the LCD screen had cracked and I’d have to pay for the repairs (R2900) because the screen was not covered on the warranty. I was told that a fall or hard pressure was the cause of the screen breaking. The fact that the scroll stopped working first was completely ignored by Vodacare. I am extremely unhappy, to say the least because of the following reason: 1 - I shouldn’t be held accountable to pay for repairs because I haven’t dropped or exerted hard pressure on the phone at any stage. The fact that the scroll stopped working 1st says something. Blackberry cannot explain to me why BOTH the scroll & screen suddenly stopped working, to me that says that the phone i recieved was faulty & Blackberry needs to take responsibility! 2- The service that I received from Vodacare Fourways was absolutely appalling,

On 30dec I got 2 contracts (Nokia n8). At home, the 1 phone was not connecting to wifi (A common problem with the nokia n8). 3112 we went back to vodacom to return the phone. We were told the phone would have to be sent away & we would have to wait 6 days which I felt was unacceptable since we had been waiting since beginning of december for the phone & a day later the thing didnt work. The manager, jose said I was not entitled to cancel the contract although I do have the legal right to cancel within 7 days. He said that if I gave my boyfriend my n8 which did work, then my boyfriends n8 would be sent away (I should have been given a new phone immediately as t&c's say within 7 days) & when it was returned as faulty he would give me a blackberry which I preferred to have. He activated the bb service on my new sim. He checked & signed a form saying there was no damage on the phone. 17jan no word so I called & I was told that they didnt send it away because the phone was scratched. We didnt use the phone as faulty, jose signed a form saying no damage & I had to call them to find out what was going on. Nice customer service. I have also signed a contract which included a phone & 21 days later, I stil dont have one! Jose then said he get me the bb & call me on 19jan. 21jan, 2 sms's later & he has not bothered to respond. I will going legal to cancel both contracts.

Vodacom, seriously! If I paid you for time spent with signal and 3g, I would be the richest man in sa and my phone account the lowest. The last 3 days have consisted of my voicemail not working, saying, 'this service is temporarily unavailable' come on! I nearly lost a big client due to the fact that I could not retrieve my voicemail! When i'm unemployed, are you fat cats going to employ me? Didn't think so. Your 3g signal is a flipping joke! It works when it wants to then decides that I have worked hard enough and disconnects itself. I do appreciate the fact that my 3g cares that I work so hard and tells me that I need a break before I launch my cellphone, 3g card and laptop off the 5 floor of our office block.

I pay you for a service I do not get! Isn't that theft? And don't get some lady from customer care to call me and tell me that you are upgrading this and that using the bio-thingymabob via the routedwatchamacallits using the optimal phase of the moon as it rises over uranus! Just fix the problem or give me back my money for the times that I have not been able to use your ****** network! I am sick and tired of putting up vodacom's incompetence!

I bought a brand new laptop in november 2010 with vodacom shop, east rand mall. Boksburg for business purposes. Up to now I had endless trouble with the hp laptop. I am losing business. All I receive from vodashop in the er mall is promises. I want the laptop either replaced or cancellation of my contract. Thanks.
Email address : [protected]@live.Co. Za

i took my labtop for repairs at HP, they gave me the quotation which i faxed to Vodasure, i enquired whether they have receive the claim, which they have confirmed and said they will pay and sent proof of payment to HP, i requested i the proof should be cc to me email address they refused and said is not company policy, i communicated with them wednesday 12 January, they said they have paid to date i am still waiting, HP have confirmed that they did not receive any payment from vodacom. i made claim 10 January 2010.

On Saturday, 6 March 2010 I got a cover for my Blackberry 8310 as a gift, unfortunately this was the wrong model cover.

We went to the Vodashop in Festival Mall where it was bought to exchange it for the correct cover.

The shop assistant informed us that not only was my phone discontinued but that we could not get our money back or a credit note even if there wasn't anything else we did not want!

We then decided on taking something for my friend's iPhone but we still had a balance of R40 left, we were then informed by the manager on duty, Mr. Attie Saayman that either we find something for the total balance or loose the difference as his 'books has to balance'

Now I ask you how can his books not balance when he receives the original product back in perfect order and refund me?

He is rude, arrogant and an complete ***** when it comes to customer service!

I expected much better service from a huge corporation as Vodacom, but apparently your employees couldn't give a flying fig what they do to your name!

On the 30th of January 2010, I noticed a debit order of R 1672.90 from Vodacom. I then called them to find out why they debited my account as I do not and have never had a contract. I was told I have a contract which I opened in December 2009. This was a surprise, I advised them it was fraud then coz I never applied. I faxed an affidavit, a copy of ID with my statement for investigation as requested. After a day or two, a lady by the name of Sandy called me and said she was from Vodacom fraud and that she is investigating. She gave me her cell number, which is not working, to call her should I need to follow up. My heart was at ease which was not for long. After noticing a strange debit order on my account on the 19th of February. I called Vodacom to find out how far they are? To my surprise, I was told there is nothing under my name, they do not know any Sandy and there is no note on the system saying anything about fraud department investigating the matter and that my so called contract was in arrears. I guess u going to debit me again, put my account in the red. U messing up my credit profile, I have unpaid because of you and you will pay for the penalties I incurred.

A few years ago my wife was a Vodacom Platinum account holder which entiteld her to a yearly cell phone upgrade & for 2 years or so she had no problem with Vodacom account & with an average R3-R5 k per month.

While on Holiday some time back, we landed up with a huge bill for the month of December (we were on Holiday & Vodacom suppoosedly sent a sms advising of potential abuse to a 3g modem. Go figure?). We challanged this in writing requesting more info on how this came about but to no avail and needless to say got no assistance from Vodacom, forget the fact that the abuse took place whilst we were away on Holiday & for 2 weeks.
We were not in a finacial position to pay the account of R12-000, our contract was then cancelled and the then appointed attorneys Hammond Pole Attorneys started making contact - Letters, emails & hundreds of sms & dealing with thier call centre was an abolute nightmare. We paid several thousand to Hammond Pole. We also requested they send us a detialed breakdown of how the R45 -000 came to be, copies of the Vodacom contract and terms. Well, needless to say they did not respond.

In 2010 without Vodacom informing us they appointed VVM attonies in Guateng.
VVM attornies were not advised that Hammond Pole had been representing Vodacom prior, had no information of the monies already paid and demanded payment arrangments on the R45-000? Since VVM has taken over the account we receive calls weekly from several different call centre agents (do they not write things down!) having to tell them the same thing over & over again, the continues sms's and hundreds of calls weekly is surely tantamount to harassment in terms of section 75 of the new act. We have been offered up to 60% discount on the outstanding debt which still sits at R45 000?
We have managed to obtain the payment recon from Hammond pole and have forwarded thier contact detials onto VVM attornies who did absolutely nothing with the info presented to them - they have stated they have never received any such email or recon from Hammond Pole which was sent to them last on the 8th August 2010. Again today, I received a call from Lexmee who also stated they have never received any info from us and Hammond Pole, yet I have confirmed with a call centre agent several weeks that they have copies of the email on record, where is it now in the system?
Lexmee - I tried to get hold of you several times today on the number you gave, spent more than hour on the phone, called both the call centre and reception in an attempt to trace you. Was put through to the 4th floor and then the 2nd floor & even though I asked for your direct line.
I am at my wits end dealing with appointed Vodacom attornies VVM who continuely harass us!
We have now contacted the Law Society and making a formal complaint in this regard in the hope that this matter will now get the attention it desrves...

If you are reading this and you are a new cell phone customer or are planning to change your cell phone provider, let this serve as a fair warning. I sincerely recommend you avoid Vodacom like the plague, especially if you are planning to enter into any contracts with them, sign debit orders, etc. Trust me on this, you will regret the day you opened an account with them or buy anything from them.

I have been a Vodacom customer for more than 15 years. Never, but never did I imagine the day would come that I would get such poor service from any company. Look, service can get pretty bad in this country, but Vodacom really does rank among the poorest of the poor. They are pathetic. Things have certainly changed over the years and gone downhill so fast it makes your head spin.

Don’t believe me? Then try this for yourself: look for their Customer Care number. Where do you lodge a complaint? Go ahead; try to find someone to talk to. And I am not talking about dialing 100 or 082111 – that is a complete waste of time because you will not find any option at all that will connect you with someone who you can lodge a complaint with. Go ahead and see how far you get. Their complaints department works solely by email. I wonder why? I tried that too – no joy. Just got two standardized template responses from some faceless person.

If you are still reading this, I guess you are curious about my story. Well, it is no big deal really. My cell phone was stolen recently. I am a prepaid customer (thank God..less drama!) and I wanted to get my old number back, for the simple reason that all my bank sms’s and other notices goes to my existing number. I wanted to avoid the effort of having all my details changed everywhere I am listed as a client or customer. I wanted nothing more from Vodacom that just that – my old number.

Well, it took me almost a week and I had to go to FOUR different retail stores, as well through their so-called “customer care via email”, to get it sorted. The only reason I got it fixed eventually was because I got lucky, no other reason. Forget about getting any support from Vodacom Customer Care – it is a joke! In fact, I don’t think it really exists.

After being ignored, offended, insulted and shunted by four of their stores, I finally ended up at Vodashop in the Kolonnade Center in Pretoria. I was served by an individual by the name of Charnelle Smith, who (believe it or not) is the so-called ‘Team Leader’ for the store. Ms
Smith was very impatient with me and clearly not in the mood to serve anyone, especially not me. She kept rolling her eyes and shrugging her shoulders. First off she was visibly disgusted when she discovered that I was a prepaid customer. Sies man! And on top of that I had the audacity not to RICA my sim. Despicable me!
Next Ms Smith informed me in no uncertain terms that I could not get my old number back, unless I give her a list of the five phone numbers I have dialed regularly from my phone. Now, I ask you…do you know which 5 numbers you phone the most? And can you recall them all from memory?

Ms Smith said that if I could not give her 5 numbers there was NO OTHER WAY that I could prove that the number belonged to me. The implication is therefore that it is much easier for the criminal, who stole my phone, to sim swop my number than it is for me, the owner. All he needs to do is copy the numbers off my phone and submit them to Ms Smith and her efficient team at Vodashop…and voila…he is the owner of a brand new phone number linked to all my bank accounts!

Charnelle Smith offered me no alternatives or options to prove my ownership; she was also not going to make any effort to go outside her little operational box. She said that the system requires 5 numbers and that was that. For example, she did not suggest I call someone I know and get numbers of family and friends I may have dialed. She was also not interested in me bringing her a set of bank statements for the past 6 months / year (what the heck I have proof over YEARS) that I used my bank account to recharge my account. All she said was “computer says no…”. End of story. She could not help me and she had no intention of trying to keep me as a Vodacom customer. The computer says no.
Since all I wanted from Vodacom was my old number, I might as well go to another company and start on a new prepaid sim card. I would only lose my old number, but they would lose a loyal customer who has spent at the very least R50, 000.00 with them over the past decade, on phone calls and data bundles.

But Ms Charnelle Smith, Team Leader of Vodashop Kolonnade, could really care less and did not even flinch when I explained to her that Mr or Ms Zwelethu Sigege, Senior Consultant (nogal) at Vodacom Customer Care at her Head Office referred me there. Since customer complaints management appears to be non-existent in the company, it comes as no surprise that Ms Smith could care less. Her attitude clearly showed that she thought my little issue was a storm in teacup and that nothing further would come of it. I guess she had much bigger fish to fry, no doubt.

Well, I did promise her that she will be hearing from me again. Therefore the effort with writing this long story down. I am going to post this on every complaints website and consumer message board I can find. Since Vodacom offers no decent customer complaint support – well then I will just complain to the rest of the world. I will be spreading this information as far and wide as I can manage. The least I can do is warn other potential customers. And maybe this will get Ms Smith some more training, because she desperately needs it.

By the way, after I left Vodashop I dropped in at the Vodacom 4U in the Kolonnade and guess what…I was lucky enough to bump into a friendly, professional and helpful young man by the name of Lloyd Germishuys. Lloyd clearly had an above average IQ and took his work seriously. So, there is a tip for Cell C, Heita and MTN…if you are looking for more people to join your team…call Lloyd, because his talent is wasted where he is now.
Anyway, Lloyd listened patiently to my boring, sad story. Then he offered me a seat, asked me two or three simple questions (for instance, the date and amount of my last recharge) and within ABOUT 5 MINUTES I HAD A BRAND NEW SIM, I HAD REGISTERED MY DETAILS WITH RICA AND I HAD MY OLD NUMBER BACK.

5 MINUTES….THAT’S ALL IT TOOK MS SMITH.

What Vodacom does in future is really no longer concerns me. I am so done with them. I will be transferring my number to another service provider. Maybe Cell-C is an option, after all those promises they have been making on billboards and TV.

And to Mr Lloyd Germishuys, I would just like to say…get out of that company as soon as you can. You can do better. And thanks for your kindness. I was a victim of a hijacking last week and lost my car, wallet with all my bank cards, my ID, driver's licence, cellphone, etc. Everything. Your patience, kindness and support was a blessing to me, may you receive it in return threefold.

I was promised to have my phone returned to me within 7-10 working days, on thursday and friday I was told the phone will be either be at their shop on the thurday, friday or monday. as it was waiting in the que.

it is the 11th day and they tell me that it will be at the shop on tuesday!
I will be charging them R50 for every day that it is late.

I have phoned them every day since i handed it in, to find out what is going on with my phone!

I am not happy!

To whom it may concern. My wife gave me a cellphone contract with a blackberry curve. All was fine in the beginning and after a month the phone just went off all the time. I need my phone for business as I need to be contactable 24/7. I then took it back to vodashop in festival mall, and the manager informed me that I need an up-grade on my phone as this will solve the problem. R300.00 later he said this will be fine. Why was I not told about this in the beginning. 2 days the later the phone was worse than before, kept on turning on and off. I took it back to the store and asked them to fix it, this is where the fun starts. Sorry it will take up to 15 days, but if you take the phone yourself it will take + - 3 days. So you must drive out to a vodacare shop, which I did and this could only happen on a sunday.

As I dont have time to drive all over the place, I used the internet and made a complaint and it was funny when you send a email and the response was as follows

Yebo valued vodacom customer!

Thank you for your e-mail. This is an automated response to confirm receipt of your email and provide you with a reference number: 000uva6bfragexvr.

A contact centre consultant will respond to your query within 12 - 24 hours. Please do not reply to this email.

This was sent on the 01/11/2010 and nothing happened. I then resent another email on the 06/11/2010 and nothing happened.I then went to vodacare store in boksburg and that was a waste of my time and petrol.

No tech works on sunday's so why keep the store open, I had to leave my phone at the store and they said that they will get back to me on monday or tuesday. How do I work, the manager said that there has been a problem with sim cards so this could be the problem?

I know that this will not be fixed

A very unhappy customer

On the 4th of september 2010 I submitted my phone to vodacare (Hatfield) , pretoria, to be repaired. I received a sms that the phone is fixed and went there on the 11th of september 2010 to fetch it. I tested it in the shop only to find out that it has still got the same problem! It was not fixed! I re submitted it under same job number 5999702 and heard nothing of them. I sent a e-mail 30 september 2010 and was advised that the phone would be ready the next day and tham I would receive a notification. I did not receive any notification and again had to send a e-mail on the 4th of october 2010 to enquire about the status of the phone. Eventually some one called tobie phoned me to enquire about my sim card number and size. He mentioned that the phone will now be sent to vodacare head office whilst this was said to me on a previous date also! He also said that the phone will defenitely be ready on tuesday 12 october. On the 4th of october now a month later I received a sms that the phone will now be sent to head office under a new job number 6052020. I gave them time and sent a e - mail on 12 october to again find out the status. I also phoned on the 12th of october 2010 and was advised that the phone is still not fixed and I must wait for a notification from them.
I realise that it is a samsung phone they are battling to get fixed and that the problem could lie with samsung but in the mean time I sit with no phone! To me this is unecceptable and need explenation!
Thanks

Last week, Monday I asked to be ported from CellC to Vodacom, I was told this would take 24-48 hours. Four days later I still hadnt been ported so I phoned Vodacom, they apologised and said there was a problem but that there technical department told them I would be ported thursday night guarenteed. Friday still no port, so I phoned again, yet again I was guarenteed that it would be done by Friday night, It is now monday a week later and I still havent been ported, I need this urgently because I cant activate my work email on my blackberry till i go to Vodacom.

I dont mind if they have problems, but Im being guarenteed that the problem is going to be fixed and given a specific date and then nothing happens. I would just like someone to take responsibility and tell me what is happening with my port because apparently Vodacom doesnt have a clue.

I got an Ericsson handset on 07-10-07 with a 2 year warranty. In January 2009 the handset did not charge the battery any more. On 27-01-09 it was handed in at Vodacare Menlyn (job no.4343596) An SMS was received on 13-02-09, handset repaired and ready for collection. The handset was collected on same day, repairs guaranteed for 90 days When I tried to charge the battery, it was still not possible, it was taken back to Vodacare on 14-02-09 (job no.441025). An SMS was received on 24-02-09, the handset was ready for collection. When I went to Vodacare I was informed that the handset was not repairable because of soldering damage! I objected, the only place where soldering damage could have occurred was at Vodacare. It was handed in again (job no. 4444469). On 4 March an SMS was received that the handset was ready for collection, it was still not repaired, I handed it in again, it was went for higher level repairs (with battery and charger) (job no. 4493781). I never saw the handset again, numerous visits (30 April, 8 June, 10 June, 15 June) only resulted in promises that I will be phoned, it never happened. A letter of complaint was sent to Vodacare on 25-09-09, no explanation yet.

Early in Sep I handed in my Motorola V8 to Vodacare, for repair (under warranty) because the screen had gone blank. I got it back and a week later the screen again went blank and the volume control was now also US. On 2909 I handed it in again. On 1110 I went to Vodacare and Ash told me that the repair would cost R572. I referred him to his records and he agreed that something was amiss. He would call me back. On 1810 I again went Vodacare to be told that now the back of the phone was cracked and the screen was broken and that the phone had been removed from warranty! R572 was again quoted for the repair. What are they smoking? The phone was inspected when it was handed in and nothing was broken. If anything is broken now, it was broken by the amateur techies in PMB.
Guys this is ridiculous. please sort out my phone. The Vodacare franchise in PMB gives Vodacom a bad name and should be sorted out. They are stupid, arrogant and rude. (See my complaint of 17 Feb about the same issues - they just dont learn!)