MultiChoice Africa / DSTV
Reviews and Complaints

This is now my 7th complaint about DSTV in 4 day's... at 12:20 I phoned their offices AGAIN! I have complained on hello peter and on dstv's web and Beeld!, but guess what... still no reply... just spoken to Tebogo at DSTV after receiving my statement of owing R1106-00! Tebogo ensured me that I only owed R109, then after a few minutes it changed to R380-00? This after I paid the monies up and till the 15th! When i asked that a customer service agent could please phone me back, I hear that this is not the procucedure for dstv to phone back clients... after insisting to speak to a supervisor, Tebogo informed me that this is not possible? I am beyond furious! Is this how they treat their customers? My Phone: [protected]

Good Day

Please find my letter below that I wrote to DSTV and Multichoice

Good day
To Whom it may concern
I.S. Customer Complaint
I have been experiencing a problem with my SD PVR Decoder.
I phoned so many times and each time they tell me something else.
I spend hours on the phone holding.
I had a problem with my DSTV Catchup
I only had 7 titles on my DSTV catchup
I spoke to the following people at [protected] but unfortunately did not have the time to write down all their names as the phone was disconnected in my ear 4 times
Mologothsi
Mhawuleni
Selinah
Bongani
Refilwe
Brandon
It started when they told me there is a problem with my installation all of a sudden
I contacted [protected]@Brits [protected] and it cost me R280 to come and check my installation, but there was nothing wrong with my installation
I phoned again and then they told me my decoder is faulty I must take it in to be tested.
I drove all the way to Waterglen Multichoice in Pretoria from Brits on Friday, told them what the problem was and they didn’t even test my decoder just gave me another one.
When I got home I connected the decoder and nothing was loading on Box Office from 11h00 to 15h00 so I phoned again012 422 2222. They told me it takes 24 – 48hours to start downloading.
On Saturday afternoon I phoned again and then they told me no there must be a problem with my decoder that I just exchanged.
I phoned again about 15h30 on Saturday to find out if waterglen Multichoice is the closest Multichoice from me because it is 93km from my home.
They told me there is two places in Pretoria Waterglen [protected] or Wonderpark Shopping Centre in Pretoria [protected]

I tried to get through to Wonderpark but after about an hour I phoned Wonderpark Shopping Centre to find out if there is another number for Multichoice. It turns out he gave me the wrong number. The correct number is [protected].
I finally got through and talked to David. He told me they are open until 17h00 but their system is off. I told him about my decoder and the problem and asked David if they do exchanges on decoders because I don’t want to drive all the way to Pretoria for nothing.. He told me yes they do but I need to be there on Sunday morning early before they open, because by the middle of the day they sometimes run out of decoders and then he might not have a decoder for me available. He said they open at 09h00 and close at 15h00 on Sundays. When I got there today 08h30 I were 5th in the row and when I finally got to David, he told me sorry it takes 7 to 14days for repairs they don’t stock my decoder. I then told him that is unacceptable, I phoned him yesterday to find out and he told me to be there early etc etc… I also told him that I am going to lodge a complaint about this, I am wasting a lot of money driving to Pretoria all the way from Brits and that after I phoned him on Saturday to make sure.
Now I have to take off work again tomorrow to dtive to Pretroria again Waterglen.
I cant tell you how many hours I spend on the cellphone [protected] updating my detrails each time and get cut off and had to phone again. Each time I phoned the minimum time on the phone holding was about 30 minutes. If you don’t believe me check your system.

This is unacceptable, each time I ask to go through to your customer survey. I put in a rating of 1 and leave my name and number to be called back “within 24hours” but nobody phones me back.
I am not going to leave this, it is unacceptable. I am going to report all of this to the consumer board, Hello Peter ste and post it all over Google and I also have two friends working for the Rapport Karin Kruger and Lizel steenkamp . I am going to get hold of them and send them this exact letter until I get some answers.
Linette Retief at Rapport [protected]@rapport.co.za is publishing a weekly VERBRUIKERSVASVAT artickle in the Rapport, I need answers and I am not going to stop until somebody decides to do their job and come back to me. I am a paying customer.
DSTV cost me nothing but money money money on calls, and petrol as they seem fit.
Please advise

I am horrified at the service from Multi Choice. They debited my account for an additional DSTV card which was not authorized by me. When I called them on October they apologized to me and said they will credit my account with R1200.
I called them back today as I have received NO payment and they have denied that I ever called them in October. They say they have no collection of this call whatsoever! I have been told that I am lying about the call in October! I have cancelled my entire service and all that they say is they feel bad? I was treated in the worst manner but the call centre. I am shocked that they denied apologizing to me and they have denied that they apporved for my account to be credited. I am lost for words!

I want to begin to say how disappointed I am with your services; I have been a client of yours for over 6 years. And this is the last!
My DSTV SD PVR 1gave me problems and I had it swopped out for a new one. Well that is what they told me! Worked fine for 2 years or so, now from last week I had problems again, phoned Benoni Radio Centre one of your preferred suppliers or whatever, they told me they can’t help me I have to go directly to your offices in Randburg.
On Monday morning I went there to get my SD PVR 1 swopped out again cause it was freezing an starting scans whenever it wanted to, the gentleman there helped me getting it swopped for a new one again. I asked the gentleman at counter number 4 to make sure that all is working fine, the gentleman assured me that all is working fine and I will not have a problem, I just had to plug it in and it will work!
WHAT ###!
I came home plugged it in and nothing! Giving me error codes!
After spending over an hour with your consultants on the phone (on my expense) telling me that my installation is not good enough and the signal strength is to low and I can’t even remember all the ### excuses we had the PVR working...
Later that evening a lady from customer care phoned me to find out what is wrong, because I gave you a bad rating after the phone call with the consultant, I told her what happened and what is still not sorted out, nothing again happened.
Later that evening I could not watch some of the programs because there are a block on the channels PG Control Block or something. So I thought lets watch Box Office... JA imagine what I said about Multichoice when I discover when this is also not working.
After a lovely early evening in the bed because the services that I am paying for is not working as it should, I phoned your customer care consultants again...
After spending over an hour and a half again on the phone (on my expense again) we tried the same steps! Nothing changed and now the consultant tells me that I have to take the SD PVR 1 in again cause their MIGHT be a problem with the software.
WHAT THE HELL?
I pay for your services, I pay for your calls, I pay for your Collections and deliveries to get my DSTV working, all on my expense!
I want someone to phone me and sort this ### out NOW!
All the monies I have spend on you and your in component employees to get my service running and sorted out, Credited back to my account.
GET SOMEONE TO PHONE ME BACK!
Martin Swanepoel

Ons het 'n HDPVR en isop die DSTV Select 2 opsie. Ons het net 106 & TCM vir flieks. Die her halings van die flieks raak nou regtig afgesaag. Hoeveel keer moet 'n mens een fliek kyk? Ons het reeds van die volle pakket afgegaan omdat jy daar feitlik op elke kanaal "Behind the scenes" het. Pasop een van die dae maak jul "behind the scenes" van "Behind the scenes" Hul vloek ook so op 106. Kan jul nie 'n opsie insit om vloekwoorde uit te haal nie. Hoeveel goed moet ook op Kyknet herhaal word? Die hele TV kanale bestaan net uit herhalings. Wat doen jul met ons geld? en waarvoor moet ons eintlik betaal. Gee asb vir ons waarde vir ons geld. Ek dink ek praat namens duisende ander TV kykers!

I pay my DSTV account by internet transfer every month prior to the due date. In July, I paid my August account on 23-07-2011 as normal. I then started getting e-mails on my DSTV decoder telling me that if I didn't pay my account by today 06-08-2011, my account would be suspended. Yesterday morning 05-08-2011 at 05:06, I sent an e-mail to Multichoice to the e-mail address which they provide on their website which is [protected]@multichoice.co.za. They promise an 8-hour turn-around time to respond. Well 8 hours has come and gone and I am still waiting for Multichoice to contact me. This morning, Multichoice suspended my account and I have been on the phone to them 4 times for in excess of 25 minutes every time. This amounts to quite a heavy telephone account. The 2nd time I called this morning, the consultant told me to fax my proof of payment to [protected]. This I did. A while later I called again and the third consultant I spoke to told me that the fax number doesn't exist anymore and that they don't check. When I asked this consultant where I have to provide my proof of payment, his response was that they don't ask customers for proof of payment. I have done everything right on my side and yet Multichoice have still suspended my account. Can someone PLEASE tell me what to do now. Can Multichoice be so useless and incompetent.

I took my HD pvr in as it had a error BE1, they told me 7 working days and after 7 days I phoned and was advised to come and collect. When I got there the exchange that they wanted to give me was also faulty E107 error. My question was : dont they test the decorders before they send it back to the branch? They then advised me another 2-3 working days, Friday I got a call from the call centre and they told me to go and collect. When I got there they did not have the decoder there and apparently they were still waiting for the couriers.. When I got home I phoned the call centre again and explained my frustration to them, the manager would have phoned the following morning 09:00 but nobody phoned. I have just been contacted by the branch and was informed that they are still waiting for the couriers and will probably not receive it today as they dont know where the couriers are. Is it not possible for anybody to phone them and find out? All I get told is that they are still waiting! They told me at the branch that I am fighting with the wrong people, who else is suppose to help me but them?I am so frustrated and all I want is the decoder in a working condition! If I have to add up the costs (travelling costs and taking time off from work) to sort this out I could have bought a new decoder

I get interferance on kyknet channel every time the islam live channel appear on kyknet and interupt the programs and it is not once but continue you can not watch any thing on kyknet channel 111 this happend a few days ago never had such problem before there is also no sound when the islam channel appear, i love to watch villa rose but like tonight i could not even follow with the interupptions of the islam live channel i dont know if any body else have the same problem but is no use watching kyknet and that is my channel i watched the most.

I just want to know if anyone at dstv really really really care about what their paying customers want need or simply ask for and have been for more than a year...We have been asking about all the repeats and it has kind of been ignored...Yes you placed a add on TV a few months ago explaining the reason for repeats But it has become somewhat ridiculous now... You have a 12 hour schedule not 24 and it repeats itself every 12 hours and if that's not enough to make your viewers frustrated, your also repeating the same programs on different channels now...Because we did not watch the programs when it was on mnet with it's repeats...We now also get to watch the same program on Series with the added repeats and also on universal with the added repeats... it's like the programs just got bumped of to the next channel Is there is really no new shows for different channels or shall I just get mnet again as I mean I don't need to pay for the hole dstv package if I just need to watch mnet the first time round...Your just going to repeat the hole season of whatever series on series channel or universal anyway...
Please don't say it's a set channel that you bought because if it was it would have different programs on...
It's your responsibility to get the best viewing for your customers, I believe we pay you more than enough to at least ask for that...
It's your responsibility to review every channel bought by you and make sure it's always up to date and exiting...and if it's not up to your viewers satisfaction
You need to go to the provider of that channel and tell them that it's not acceptable as your viewers are unhappy with the amount of repeats...
You need to start listening to your viewers as at this moment I really don't feel like it's a top priority for you...
There are to many repeats on DSTV...

I'm not a satisfied viewer and I'm not to only one...
I would like to know what your going to do about it...give us a action plane we can work with...
I'm asking you to give all the viewers a answers on my discussion...
Can we expect some drastic changes or are you not willing ''hands tie behind your back'' to do something about the amount of repeats...
''Dstv So much more'' repeats than any other provider...

Mell

For paying over R500 a month i would expect that you would be proffessional in the sceduling of your programmes and do not get me started on all the repeats on the prehistoric movies you show, i was waiting to see the F1 grand prix to find that the tennis was for ever showing then to see that the F1 will only start after mid night, why was it only showed live on HD and not normal broadcast, to think you people can not think that some people have to work the next day and you show an event like that at a rediculas hour all that i can say is you people are making me think about canceling my subscription. All that you for ever do is raise the price and neglect to give us what we pay for.

To whom it may concern, (please see a copy of an e-mail sent to Multi-choice - awaiting response)

Please note the attached scratch Card from Arcadia Home Shopping that was enclosed in the April Magazine from Multichoice. This scratch card competition promises monetary prizes that are considerable to say the least and suggests that all one has to do to become eligible for an initial cash prize of R100, 000.00 is to scratch off the gold panel. Naturally, I scratched away then as directed on the card SMS'd the word WIN to receive my unique claim number via return SMS. Once I was in receipt of this number I was to complete the form and send it (including my identity number and signature) via fax or mail to the details enclosed on the attached form.

That’s when the junk mail trail began. A few weeks later I received a Prize Notification telling me that I had won R15, 250-00 and that a cheque would be sent to me immediately upon receipt of my claim form. I became suspicious when I was also given the option to purchase a pen set for R129-90 as a so called 'Bonus Offer' (you start to wonder and I am sure this is intentional, that you will need to pay the amount requested to qualify for the cheque). I decided to ignore the mail. Not one week went by before I received another letter informing that I was in line to win more money, again I ignored the letter, the following week another letter stating that I was now in line to win over three million. It was here that I got quite excited as I started to think that it might be credible (and believe me these letters were coming at the time when you look for miracle’s), until I started to read the never-ending list of complaints from other “winners” of Arcadia Home Shopping competitions on the Internet. It seems that this is a scam and that all the company tries to do is separate people from their hard earned money without delivering on the promises.

Communication with Arcadia Home shopping’s Rene Herman's (whether fictitious or not) produces some of the following replies, “the notification states that she is eligible to win the prize which means that only if her number is the unique winning number will she be identified as a winner”, and “I am sure that if this was illegal we would have been notified by the Marketing board and they would have banned the mailing with immediate effect”. Whilst their responses indicate that Arcadia Home Shopping does not guarantee cash payouts, and that payment for “bonus prizes” it is not obligatory, the marketing is definitely misleading.I am also concerned with having disclosed my personal details and provided a sample of my signature. Have I now inadvertently made myself (more specifically my finances) vulnerable to fraud.

I am not certain who compiles and distributes your Dish/satellite magazine, but I would like to suggest that a more stringent vetting process is applied when deciding what content/ 3rd party advertising material to enclose. As a reputable company I am sure that you would not like your name to be linked however distant with any company that is likely to misrepresent themselves to your subscribers. To whom do we refer this potential scam? Have the Police not investigated the many complaints? Or perhaps this might be big enough for Carte Blanché to investigate...?

I await your response.

During the last few days we have had to put up with two separate transmissions of repeats of the weakest link. These are repeats of recent transmissions. Surely with your modern systems complimented by your well trained personell... You could find a way to give your subscribers a limited number of repeats... And where this is unavoidable ensure that it is not a repeat of a transmission a only weeks ago!
What do we as subscribers have to do to get good value for money?
I am a relatively new subscriber and I am not at all happy with the quality/choice of programs. It would appear that dlf cricket is your main interest - whilst I have found this sport to be interesting... There is a limit as to how much of my time I wish to devote to dlf cricket which must cost your orgainisation an arm and a leg which is obviously passed on to consumers like me.
I look forward to having less repeats and getting better value for my money and trust that you will consider and attend my complaint.
Regards,
Neville flint
Pietermaritzburg

I have been a loyal subscriber to Multichoice/Mnet for approximately 16 years. My complaint refers to the continuous repeats we have to endure on various channels. An example of this is the "The Weakest Link" on channel 120 on Wednesday 4th May 2011 at 5.30pm which was also shown in the same time slot approximately 3 days previously. This is not the only programme repeated within days of each other in the same time slots on the same channels with the exception of sport and live channels such as the news.

My monthly fee as a pensioner is R540.00 and I am definately NOT getting value for my money. Could you please investigate and revert back to me. I also feel that a special "pensioners discount" should be given to people over 65.

They could, at the very least [if they cannot afford to purchase new programmes !], print an "R" against repeat programmes in their magazine and the newspapers to indicate that a programme is a repeat as they used to do. I that way people can then chose another channel or programme to watch.

Please look into this matter as I am not the only person fed up with these continual repeats.

Thank you,
Mrs. H.A. Smith.
[[protected]]

I do not have a PVR, I want to record a program listed as starting at 11am on the DSTV online guide I do the following: Set our Sony DVD recorder to record from 10:58am (time is in sync with DSTV). Set the autotune feature on DSTV for the channel to autotune when the program starts.

The problem is that DSTV only autotune’s the channel about 4 minutes after it has already started, therefore for example the correct channel only starts recording from 11:04am and not when it starts at 11:00am. DSTV is not autotuning when the program starts! And we are missing the beginning of the program. Please escalate and supply feedback on when this problem will be fixed or if there is already a fix for this problem.

My problem remains un-resolved. The only response I received back from Multichoice was that they tried to call me. I am clearly out of the country and my email details were clear and available. No effort was made to contact me via email. I would have assumed that this would be the first point of contact considering that I sent an email with my complaint and this is normally the choice of communication for most organizations however, its been the contrary. I responded via email again to receive feedback regarding a huge accounting error on my account however, I still haven't had a response nor has my account mistake been rectified.
It seems as if my complaint is being avoided.

I provided specific details in my email with regards to the accounting error and would have assumed that someone would have the courtesy to respond instead of saying they couldn't get hold of me via phone.

My story is one of racism and pathetic service of a major company Multichoice, a division of Naspers.
It all started last year when I called in and found that my address details had been changed without my authorisation asI was not receiving my magazines. I found that someone with a letter starting with L removed information out of my address field.
Got to find the person and they say that she is now there and no supervisors in call centre during the day etc. Up till now I still do not receive my magazines. From last year I am calling about the delivery of magazines. they say that I will be receiving it shortly. One consultant (Clint) even told me that I must go and fetch the magazines every month from the nearest multichoice store. Told him, Why should I! I am paying in my subscriptions...

Nov, I came back from overseas and went to the multichoice new offices down the road from the old one, to pay my yearly subscriptions. When got there I the south african, africa black who was the consultant in the glass cubical, was not helpful and she then called here so called supervisor. The south african african black, was assisting and when we were talking etc, the south african, afican black women consultant was behaving in a childish and racist manner to me. Eventually the south african, black african gentleman asked her to leave. During the month of December and the past the call centre staff cuts all the calls when I call, I hold 25+mins to have the call cut on me. Just this week I held 2Hrs for the transfer to the Xtra View Department. Yesterday, I phoned Authur Brookes to let him know that the consultant cut the call whilst talking. When I started to give my details she cuts the call. From last year December I was trying to get hold of Nico Meyer, as no one at Multichoice wanted to give me his pa Veni's contact number. Left messages to all difference levels of departments for Nico Meyer to call me, but up till today the CEO Nico Meyer refuses to call. But, he will take calls from other race groups.

Asked Veni on numerous times for Nico Meyer to call me, and was said he will call me at a certain time but up till now NOTHING. They are making me as a fool. Like, i.e. "lets make him think we going to call and make him a fool by not calling. He is just and INDIAN". Alter Daniels the PA of Koos Bekker (now Koos is a true CEO -gentleman) also e-mailed Veni to get Nico Meyer to call me and Veni said that Auther Brookes did not tell her to pass the message to ask Nico Meyer to call me. According to Veni she received the e-mail from Alter Daniels with regards to Nico calling me back, but Veni said that Auther said nothing about. Nico Meyer the the person that behaves as a INDIAN HATER and RACIST or is he already? Spoke to Auther and he said that he did pass the message to Veni for NICO THE INDIAN HATER to call me. Go figure...Veni said that he would differently call me this afternoon, but yet again NO SHOW. Alter Daniels even conferanced the call to NIco Meyers office and I left a message on the answering machine with Veni's V/M and still NOTHING.I had a south afican, african black to call in and he took the call, but me as an Indian he did not, The racism of Multichoice and NON SERVICE DELIVERY must be URGENTLY address.

They very bieist with regards to their funding. I other words they look at what is you colour... This is draw out of the behavior and treatment I was/am
currently subjected to by NICO MEYER and his FOLLOWERS...

So, if the CEO Nico Meyer is behaving in an unapproiate manner, hence his behaviour trickles down to the consultants etc.He is a perfect example of a CEO who does not or is not worthy of his position. WE ASK NICO MEYER, PLEASE STEP DOWN and all the misfits that that supports his pathic and mind you childish behavior being a CEO to leave our subscribers company Multichoice.
.
Why must we as paying consumers be subjected to this MILAKI?
Please call me for more concrete and constructive facts and information etc...

Thanks
[protected]

Multichoice Pretoria. For 4 months I'd tried to sort you a mishap on my dstv account, but nobody could sort this problem out. So today 06/12/10 I told Patiswa to take my subscription money that I paid for my December subscription and clear the previous R581. Also to leave my service disconnected, till I can find a proper person to help me with this account. I need some closure in connection with this. I cannot pay for a stupid fault that Multichoice staff maid and not tell the customer what is what. I complaint at HeloPeter and at getclosure, but nothing happened yet. It is people like that who will make a person give up.

Good day
my email is [protected]@mighty.co.za
Hope you can assist on this matter.

My Mother is a 70 year old pensioner. She was asked to enlist on an insurance option with Multichoice by phone conversation. The result of this is when she now need service on her broken unit, this is the response from Multichoice. Their excuse is that they do not have “new” stock to replace old stock. She never received any documentation and the policy was confirmed with only the phone conversation.

My questions on this matter
1 - Why was she not informed during the phone conversation that they would only replace it with a secondhand unit? She would not otherwise have accepted the policy since she already have theft and household insurance cover.
2- If after 3 years they cannot replace it with a new unit, why still receive the insurance fee?
3 – since when does insurance replace a faulty unit with a secondhand unit? If it is only the supplier doing the replacement, ok. But this is an insurance policy claim. Who is getting the benefit of the insurance fee?

Multichoice I believe made a misrepresentation of their services to my mother. Included on this my mother was not receiving the privilege to be informed on the policy agreement.

Below is the mail representing their answer on this matter.

Regards

Dear Mr Smit

Our telephone conversation on 29 November 2010 refers,

The decoder that Mrs JE Smit has is currently insured since 2 June 2008, this decoder, if found faulty will be replaced with a refurbished decoder of the same make and model.

Please find attached a Subscriber Agreement form, if you scroll down you will find the terms and condition of the Decoder Care contract.

Kind regards

Liselle Daniels
Contact Centre- Customer Liaison
Website: www.multichoice.co.za
“MultiChoice Africa (Pty) Ltd is an authorized financial services provider. FSP license number 11514.” THINK GREEN - CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE PRINTING THIS EMAIL.

I have been waiting in an automated queue for 20 minutes, after being guided at the beginning of the call that the estimate reponse time would be 5 mins (caller number 154). Eventually I had to hang up, as there are no updates to the estimated waiting time.

It is completely unacceptable. the number SHOULD be toll free, if clients are expected to wait for such outrageous times. I would rate this as the WORST call center in South Africa.