Vodacom subscribers reported missing data and airtime balances on Thursday morning, October 22, after waking up to find their bundles had disappeared from their accounts.
I was among those affected after a 1GB data bundle and 30 minutes of any-network calling time, purchased for R19 on Wednesday, October 21, and valid for three days, disappeared from my account the following morning.
The problem prompted complaints on social media, with subscribers reporting losses ranging from a few gigabytes to hundreds of gigabytes.
Several Vodacom customers took to Facebook to ask what had happened to their balances, with some expressing concern about losing data they had purchased or expected to use.
“238 GB gone 😭 Kan Vodacom Unani???” wrote Thobela CB, describing the disappearance of a substantial data balance.
Another subscriber, Ayya Cycy Deon, wrote: “I woke up my 20GB gone 🤦🏾♂️”
Others reported losing both data and airtime.
“Am I the only one who woke up n their vodacom data just vanished like it never even existed both data and airtime,” asked Mapula Ramasunga in the UNISA Students Group.
The apparent disruption also caused concern among students preparing for examinations.
“vodacom user, my data disappear yook I have exam on 10:30. im the only one?” wrote Mk Pro in the UNISA 2026/2027 students group.
Meanwhile, Bong’musa Mtribal reported that a night-time data allocation from a previously purchased bundle had disappeared.
“Hi I have a problem here .. I bought the 7GB + 75GB night owl summer hot deals on the 3rd or on the 1st or October this month the problem is my night owl has disappeared,” the subscriber wrote.
I contacted Vodacom privately through Facebook, providing details of my purchase and the missing bundle.
The company apologised for the inconvenience and said it was investigating the issue.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. We’re aware of the issue and understand the frustration this may be causing. Our team is working hard to investigate the matter and find a resolution,” Vodacom said in its response.
My missing data and calling minutes were restored a few hours later.
It remains unclear how many subscribers were affected and whether all missing balances were restored. Customers may also have had different experiences depending on the bundles they had purchased. For example, those whose one-hour bundles expired during the disruption may have been in a different position from subscribers like me, whose missing bundle was valid for three days.
