CONSUMER FORUM

MTN takes clients for a ride

IN October 2013, I used my upgrade contract to get the Blackberry 9720. In February, the charger connection started to give trouble and I immediately took it to MTN at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. It said it would send the phone to the manufacturer to assess the problem, which would take about a week. On the 10th day I discovered the phone had been returned to the store because it was not costeffective to fix it. MTN would not refund or replace it, claiming I had damaged it by using the wrong charger — I had only used Blackberry chargers — and suggested I contact Blackberry.

I have just got my phone repaired at low cost by a cellphone shop. MTN is taking its loyal contracted clients for a ride. — Nadine Jocum,

by e-mail

Vodacom left me hanging

I RECENTLY bought a data bundle from a Vodacom dealer. It was automatically loaded on my iPad, which I have done many times. It was still not accessible by the next day so I reported the problem. After answering many questions and being told many times that I must have requested that my sim card be locked, the consultant said the card would be unlocked in an hour. Two days later it was still locked. I phoned again, went through the same process, was told the sim card was locked and that there was no record of my previous call.

After some stalling by the consultant, I managed to speak to a manager, who said it was out of his hands and he could only pass me on to the forensics department. I was promised I’d be called in 24 hours and that my sim would be unlocked. Well, 72 hours later, no one has phoned to find out if my problem has been solved. Time to switch. —

Nicki Jones, by e-mail

An honest person at last

ON Friday nights, my wife and I regularly visit the Ocean Basket restaurant in the Edgemead Village Centre in Cape Town. One night, when I returned to my car, I found a note on the windscreen apologising for the dent in the rear passenger door. When I got home I phoned the gentleman, who was very apologetic.

He requested I get quotes and said he would pay for the repairs. I had the car repaired and he transferred R3 650 to my account.

It is good to see there are still honest people.— Gavin Nicol, by e-mail