Virgin Active South Africa review: Gym membership

Good day,

I am writing to formally raise a concern regarding a dispute between myself and a sales representative at the Virgin Active Glenvista club, South Johannesburg.

I recently enrolled at the aforementioned club on 10 January 2025, and I was assisted by a courteous gentleman named Mike. I was registered for a national membership, and upon completion of the necessary paperwork, I was advised to make a payment of R200 to finalise my registration. However, I was informed that the club does not accept cash payments, and that the payment should be made via a link sent to me. Unfortunately, I did not have my mobile phone with me at the time. My gym partner offered to make a card payment on my behalf, but Mike insisted that the payment had to be processed through the provided link.

Due to my work commitments, I was only able to return to the club on 15 January 2025, at which point I was assured that my membership had already been captured and that I merely needed to complete the payment of R200, which I did with Mike's assistance. However, I have recently discovered that my membership is not eligible for the 75% discount that I was initially informed I would receive. Following a lengthy conversation with Mike, I was informed that the promotional offer had already expired – a fact which was not disclosed to me before I made the payment on 15 January 2025.

The 75% membership discount was a key factor in my decision to join the club, as it would have afforded me the necessary time to resolve my Vitality status and subsequently transfer my membership to my medical aid's Vitality programme. As a result, the current monthly payment due is higher than what I had initially anticipated, based on my understanding that I was eligible for the discount.

Please be assured that I do not intend to place any blame on Mike, as I believe this issue stems from a lack of clear communication. However, given that I initially signed up on 10 January 2025, I respectfully request that my eligibility for the promotional discount be reconsidered. Cancelling my membership is not my intention, as it remains a priority to me.

I kindly request your urgent attention to this matter and look forward to your prompt response.

My Details:

Name: Bongani Ngubeni
ID Number: [protected]
Mobile Number: +[protected]
Email: [protected]@gmail.com
Main Club: Glenvista Virgin Active
Assisted by: Mike
Yours sincerely,
Bongani Ngubeni