Virgin Active South Africa
Reviews and Complaints

My husband tried to join virgin active again (he canceled his membership after 2+ years due to health issues in 2016 but he joined in 2013) and phoned yesterday but they refuse to let him join. He was 17 (2006) when he joined for the first time and his mother took out the contract but never payed now they say he must pay it! It is unacceptable. How can they keep him responsible for his mothers dept?! When we joined three years ago it was no issue. Now head office refuse to assit him in resolving this issue so that he can gym. We are so upset that I am considering cancelling my contract as well. Unacceptable that head office or middelburg refuses to assist him. If they check he payed every month for the period he was a member since 2013. They should also not refuse people on 'legal' grounds if they have none! Number 1 you cannot hold a person resposible for dept in he/she did not sign that contract, number 2 he was still a minor and number three they should go and study the laws regarding civil lawsuits!

I signed a contract - I am now unemployed - I have asked multiple times to cancel my contract, as I dont have any money, they insist I pay approx R7000 to cancel, which I said I dont have. I also informed them not to debit as my debit order will bounce. They still debited, twice, with different amounts and it bounced with my bank. I also sent them proof, my ''letter of service'' confirming my unemployment and I get no replies. I have sent multiple emails and they just keep ignoring what I say and asking me to pay to cancel. I was in month 1 of a 12 month contract when I put in my request and now going on month 3 and I am still trying to cancel with no luck.

I am a member of the virgin active gym in mount edgecomb, Durban. My contract ending date was 31st January 2017. Nobody informed me during the signing of the contract that I would have to cancel my contact once the period is over. I did not even receive a notification stating that it will be renewed on a monthly basis. I even called the call centre last year to notify them that I won't be using the gym anymore because I have since relocated. I haven't been utilizing the gym for the past 7 months although I still honoured my agreement and paid timeously evey month knowing January would be my last payment. Even when I queried about cancellation of the contract before the contract date I was not informed of this month to month basis policy. Surely they should have notified me about this because I haven't been using the gym for so many months. Today my account was debited for 3 times the usual amount. This is very frustrating. I will not pay for a service that I do not use.

I am disgusted in the lack of service provided to potentional clients!

I am aggrieved at the fact that there is a lack of protection of clients or prospective clients whereby Virgin Active fails to afford proper protection and customer care, certain statements brought up in our previous telephonic phone call cannot be justified in terms of the South African legal system.
Upon joining Virgin Active in 2011, I, at the time, was a child, meaning under the age of 18 years old therefore meaning a minor.
My mother, undertook the contract on my behalf as I could not have entered into the contract without her assistance as the limited contractual capacity would have invalidated the contract and therefore I would not have been able to open a gym membership on my own accord.

The Children's Act 38 of 2005
The definition of a Child as provided under the above mentioned statute is, means a person under the age of 18 years old. Thus meaning that all persons under the age of 18 are entitled to protection in accordance to the Constitution of The Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996 as well as in accordance to the Children's Act 38 of 2005, section 1.
A minor according to the Law of Contract, needs to be assisted with their parents in order to enter into a contract. It must be noted that my mother undertook as the primary person being liable in full for the amount owing to Virgin Active on a monthly basis as per the contract. Thus any debt arising out of the contract was to be paid by My mother
It must also be noted that at the time of the contract, I, was a minor.

It is further very frustrating that I need to be in contact with both MBD as well as Virgin Active, where both MBD as well as Virgin Active tells me two contradictory versions.

Upon being in contact with MBD, Mr Mabaso had told me that he cannot understand why Virgin Active is not allowing me to sign a new membership as he cannot pick up that I am liable for any amount that is supposedly said to be in arrears stated by virgin active.

Mr Mabaso further put me through to a lady by the name of Faith, where Faith had told me the same thing including the fact that simply put it was not my debt but that of my Mothers, she further listened to my defence of prescription, and further told me that an email was required, and should include my mother's defenses, that she will clear this up with Virgin Active once she had received the email and would get back to me, I am still patiently waiting for her response.

I am now advised that because I used the facilities of Virgin Active at the time of being a minor, I am liable for the debt listed as at 2011, I cannot agree to this as such is contrary to the protection of minors according to South African law.

Prescription
The commencement of prescription runs as soon as the debt falls due, according to the Prescription Act, Contractual debts are extinguished after 3 years of failure to request the debt and therefore, MBD as well as Virgin Active according to the Prescription Act loses their right to claim payment on the debt ever again.
As provided by Mrs Ronelle, the last request of payment was made in 2011, it is now 2017, and 6 years later there is an invalid attempt in requesting this debt as such a debt has been prescribed.

It is therefore unlawful that Virgin Active attempts to collect any payment in respect of the amount that they claim is owing as per the National Credit Act.

A debt has prescribed in the following circumstances:
1. no payment has been made settling a debt in the last three years.
2. there is no acknowledgement of settling the debt or making payments
3. there has been no summons in respect of such a debt.

I further request that if Virgin Active along with MBD is further persistent in requesting this invalid amount, provide me with the following:
1. A copy of the contract signed in 2011.
2. Statement reflecting the last payment in respect of this contract.
3. proof of the handover amount and all costs and interest which have accrued since.
Whenever I tell a representative of Virgin Active that this debt is not even my debt in the first place then they are quick to tell me that then my mother must come in to settle the amount, this is very confusing. Further in doing so they are tacitly acknowledging that it is her debt.

There is a great amount of miscommunication between Virgin Active and MBD, I fail to understand as to why I was told that according to MBD, Mr Mabaso, as an active agent of MBD told me there is no reason as to why Virgin Active listed my membership as pending as he could not see any debt that I owe. That such a debt could not even be seen under my mother's name. ( Calls are recorded so please feel free to listen to the conversation.) Mr Mabaso also confirmed that I was a secondary member of virgin active and not primary.
Please do advise me as soon as possible, as My husband and I are looking to join a gym together.

I lastly cannot for the life of me understand how Virgin Active bring the supposed debt down from over R2000 to R1057 and now asking me to pay 50% of R1057. This is not my debt to pay, such request for payment is illegal and unlawful!

I am am disgusted at how I am treated by Virgin Active claiming money from me as if they are trying their luck to get money out of me after prescription has run its course!

why does Virgin Active act contrary to South African law! How can the amount keep changing? How can my mother's debt be liable on my account if it was her intention to provide the funding for the initial contract? Every time I tell one of the staff members of prescription they totally ignore it and do not respond to that defence?
where is your regard for the law? Such a company of such magnitude?

I am sick of taking to one person and then another. One day I deal with the incompetence of mbd and the next I must deal with the incompetence of Virgin Active to recognize lawful statute. What makes me even more sick is the fact that every one has a different story to tell me!

Please note: all calls are supposedly recorded by mbd so listen to what your call center agents are saying.

Good day

I have been complaining for over a year regarding faulty treadmills at the athlone branch and we were promised new ones last novemebr and up to today still nothing, I almost injured myself a few times because of this and I am now ready to call in the safety and health inspector to have this branch either shut down untill everything is fixed, in addition to the treadmills the weights are never availbale as its always in repairs and the air condition does not work and this is for over 2 years now, I pay each year a increse in fees due to your claim it is required to keep equipment up to date and yet I see no improvement if this matter is not resolved immediately I will have to take it further as I am fed up in the poor service I am getting

Dear sirs/madam

My husband and I joined with great difficulty virgin active on 05th january 2017. We were advised that should we each join with a dependant than we would receive r500 for ourselves and r500 for our dependent cash back, totalling r1000 each.

We were advised to let the sales person know when our benefits program was activated and they would do the changeover for us. We were further advised that the changeover will not have any effect on our cash back as we enquired several times about it.

I even contacted the head office on the 10th february 2017 as my debit order that went off on the 1st february 2017 had to be refunded to me but was not done, as the branch had not loaded the refund when they did the changeover for us and head office confirmed that I still qualify for the cash back, she even double checked that while I was holding on the phone to make sure no more mistakes were being made on virgin active side.

I had attended at the branch on the 31st january 2017 (As can be seen on my virgin active log) to do the change over at 1pm but was advised by delon singh (Sales manager) and rishaal (Sales person) that I must now come back the next day being 1st february 2017 and do the changeover as it would be better to changeover on the 1st.

Now I am advised by the call centre that I do not qualify. How is that possible? We did everything that we were told to do so that we would still get our cash back.

We would like to have our r1000 each cashback that was promised to us.

Poor response to members needs/complaints, I reported damaged cushions to management about 5 weeks ago, everytime I check up on progress, I am provided with a lame excuse as to why th product is not in thw gym as yet, and thereafter im given a date to which it should arrive and they have been failing to provide each time for the past 5 weeks, I wish something could be done so that the gym is better maintained, id also like to add that the aircon is not functional 80% of the time, there is always something wrong with water in the changing rooms.

Thanks

I have been a member of the maerua virgin active health club (Formerly health & racquet) here in windhoek for 20 years, but earlier this week finally decided to terminate my membership.

Over all of two decades I have never received a single email or any promotional material from virgin active, no notice, no newsletter, survey or any form of communication, nothing, nada. While this might be regarded a blessing in disguise by most, what is apparent to me now is just how little – if any – value your organisation places in loyal members beyond a monthly membership fee: the opinions and specific needs of those members that have supported you over many years have never been of any consequence to the club. Virgin active’s promotional incentives without fail are aimed solely at canvassing new members. Its qa processes are focussed on the premises, equipment and maintenance, but lack formal procedures through which the opinion of existing members are gauged on issues of service delivery, staff performance, facilities and user satisfaction.

The club's disregard for members’ needs, viewpoints and aspirations is nowhere better illustrated than in the new maerua gym: a complete and utter let-down to the bulk of existing members, the new facility epitomises a top-down planning process in which consultation with membership was glaringly absent. Opened with great fanfare, the new club offers a drastically reduced floor area and facilities (No squash courts, much smaller pool, cramped exercise areas), an impractical layout (Cloakrooms located at the very rear furthest away from the entrance require all arriving/departing members to crisscross the entire exercise floor), poorly configured exercise areas (Equipment squeezed into constricted areas with insufficient space around and between for proper usage), the questionable addition of a health fast food outlet (Which failed in the past and already is being poorly utilised) and computer stations (Its a gym, not an internet café). There is also a serious problem with a nauseating foul smell in the gym (It reeks of sewage).

But it is the unprofessional behaviour of the gym manager that finally made me decide to cancel my membership. He confronted me on the gym floor as I had my gym bag with me (As I have done for many years): his demeanour was disrespectful and arrogant, and he clearly enjoyed making a loud spectacle in front of other members. I explained that I never use the lockers as I have had my bag and valuables stolen from virgin active lockers on two previous occasions, with management then merely shrugging their shoulders. He insisted that I either hand the bag to reception/take it to my car, or leave the gym. I decided to leave.

I was approached by two other gym members when standing at reception to cancel my membership. Having witnessed the entire spectacle, they expressed their astonishment at the oafish behaviour of the manager, something one would expect of a nightclub bouncer, not the manager of a respectable health club.

To whom it may concern.

Virgin Active CAN afford to lose members.

I have been a member at Virgin Active in George for 7 years and 6 months. After three separate occasions of being treated, spoken to, called a lair and taunted disgustingly by one particular staff member, Jason Scriven, I decided that I would cancel my contract and go elsewhere... I made this well known to Dave Luis (Head Office) as well as Susan Jerling (Branch Manageress) on the 31 December 2016. Dave responded by requesting that I bear with them and hang in there... They had three months to take action as I am in training for an event in March and therefore only planned to leave at the end of March 2017. However, clearly Virgin Active does so well that they don't worry about members leaving their club. Unfortunately for them, they decided to take no action against their 'friend' and that he was more important than keeping their 'paying' member, therefore deciding to do absolutely nothing...

On the 7 February 2017 I wrote to Dave saying that I would be cancelling my contract due to the fact that no action had been taken and Dave responded in his email as saying "We are a fun brand, and our employees do have fun at work" and then with "I have terminated your membership and the last day of your membership will be 31 March 2017."

One thing became very clear to me as I was going through this ordeal and that is that the staff at Virgin Active are all friends with each other, totally unprofessional and involve themselves in horseplay. They have no concern how they speak to members to their faces or even behind their backs... no one would believe the things I've over-heard by the staff... and it's always the SAME staff members too... they have absolutely no maturity or simple tact.

While Susan was away on leave towards the end of December 2016, Jason Scriven was supposedly the manager on duty in her absence... the pool was cold, dirty and at one point the water was so bad you couldn't see the bottom of the pool. He however enjoyed laughter with his colleagues and didn't seem concerned at all. I repeat myself... HORSEPLAY!

Dave Luis stated that the condition of the pool was not linked to Jason himself but rather a broken pump... which happens from time to time. Three days later Susan informed me of another pump that had recently gone (less than a month later)... clearly this was 'NOT ANYONE'S fault'... nor 'ANYONE'S responsibility’ either... Seen as they 'do have FUN at work'!
Another fact that fascinates me is how commission is given when a person signs up... but NO action is taken when a member wants to cancel due to discussing staff behaviour.

Someone seriously needs to take responsibility for the shenanigans going on at Virgin Active.

Whatever happened to the consumer/member being the most important person?

Phillipa Bishop.

Soon to be ex-member No: [protected]

I just want to express my concern about the way your Virgin Active club at Maerua Mall, Windhoek Namibia is operating.

Unfortunately it is not the first time I had a problem with that club and it’s manager. Last year when their system was off a few times during the year as well, one had to write all details on an attendance register, for our medical aid’s gym rebates. Not once was mine corrected on the system, and according to Mr Du Preez at the time I laid a complaint with his club I had been told that it is my own problem, which I already found pathetic to blame the client who contributes to his salary if the club was in the wrong due to old IT equipment; not to even mention the state the gym equipment was in at that club.

Over school - and university holidays the place was a gathering place for the youth to have their daily get together, occupying most of the equipment and no gym personnel in site to instruct them to get off the equipment if they are not training, loose weight occupying the whole gym floor, and no one to pick it up, some members always had to go and complain before someone came and removed the weights from the floor for members to not fall over the stuff. Gym personnel rather spent time chatting with their buddies, instead of doing their jobs to instruct guilty members to put away weights and to use sweat towels.

Now the club moved premises and it is not even half the size the previous club was, and not near enough equipment for all members to train with, although the monthly membership fee stayed exactly the same.
Mirrors were installed to give the impression of size, but seems to me if it never got to anyone’s mind that if you use mirrors to give the impression of a larger floor area, for each person you move into the building it would give the impression of two people in the gym.

Now all of a sudden we get targeted that we may not keep our gym bag with us, even though we gym in off peak hours, and the gym bag was under the working bench.

Your manager at that club, Mr Andre Du Preez and his staff are more concerned about a bag under a training bench which is in nobody’s way, than members who leave equipment on the floor, and who do not even using sweat towels when they are using the equipment. The place also smells like drain pipes.

As he told Doctor WasserfallWednesday, we should rather keep the bag in the car if we do not want to lock it in one of the lockers. It was not a very polite statement from one of your group’s managers to say at all.

Doctor Wasserfall explained to him that in two occasions his bag was stolen from 2 of your gyms in South Africa from a locked locker in your locker rooms, after locks had been cut, once in Johannesburg and once in Pretoria, and he is not prepared to take that risk again; every time VA clubs just said it is not their problem. Mr Du Preez told him if something of that nature will happen in his gym he will investigate, how will he investigate with no cameras in the locker rooms?

Doctor Wasserfall said that if Mr Du Preez could supply him with a letter that he will take full responsibility for the bag if this would happen in his gym, then we will put the gym bag in a locker; where upon Mr Du Preez replied, he can’t do that but he can give him a letter that his gym bag may not be on the gym floor, another unwise thing to say.
I find that Mr Du Preez does not have the skill to be in the position as a manager of Virgin Active; as he does not even know that the first polite thing to do as fully trainer manager if you want to sort out a problem is to ask the member to join you to your office for a quick chat and you do not confront a member in front of other members in the gym, it was most unprofessional indeed. In one’s office you start by asking who the member is and then start talking about the problem; not just come to a member and start harassing him about the bag under the bench. You first find out who the member is and his title, before you treat him like a child.

We decided to rather cancel our membership, due to the unprofessional way we were treated in. When we canceled our memberships the lady at the counter said that we would be billed by another N$108 next month for cancelation, as we have to give a months notice? So members get penalized if your management incompetences?

Regards

Leo Visser

A gym member and his partner were using the smith machine for over half an hour most of the time sitting on the smith machine bar, when I asked the first time then I asked the second time by the time I had finished all my exercises they were still using the machine or may I say hardly using it but sitting on it when I asked to share whilst they weren't using it I received attitude and that they are using it? Does the gym not state gym equipment must be shared? And what is the functionality of the smith machine ? Generally used for squats this guy was using every and any exercise in that machine for example he brought a long bar put it across the floor in the smith machine to do back exercises (how is he using the actual machine?) then he brings the bench near it tells he partner (female) to do her exercise while he sits on top of the smith machine ? I don't understand because he does not own the equipment I told him I pay my gym fees so I can also use this he replied he comes to the virgin active mount edgecombe gym for free so I asked him how many more sets he has ? He replied too many I went downstairs to complain to the manager unfortunately I was too upset to stay I left the gym, I don't think people like this should be allowed in the gym because they do not own the gym nor do they own the equipment? I am contemplating cancelling my gym membership and going to another gym. Absolutely ridiculous I do not know the persons name but I definitely know what they look like. I think because I was female he thought he could disrespect me by not allowing me to use the machine - I am highly unsatisfied with this gym. The managers should be on the floor rather than sit in their offices so people like them won't take advantage of others.

Hello, I was a Spinning Instructor for Long Street Virgin Active for roughly 4 months. Of that time, I was not loaded on their system, I had no membership that allowed me to come and go freely. I had to ask reception staff every time to allow me in and explain I was a GEI that worked for the company. I had no help from managers to assist me in getting this done, every time I asked I was told to wait until they were less busy/closer to the beginning of the month, or be sent to another department for them to tell me "No that is not that they do, they cannot help me. "
I was also not paid monthly/on time during this short period, from the 4months I worked as a GEI (start in August '16) I finally received my first payment of R742.50 on the 29th November and my second payment on the 20th December, R247.50. A total of R990, very strange amounts as I was told I was being paid R110 per class taken. I took ROUGHLY 15 classes during that time (15xR110=R1650) 1650 - 990 = 660. I am still ROUGHLY owed R660. This is all very roughly estimated as I do not have the exact dates I worked on me but I am sure I am still owed money. I am just very disappointed in the lack of admin and very slow service that has taken place. I worked previously for Virgin Acitve Wembley Square, and I cannot say one bad mord about that branch. They are amazing from ethics, service, payments to people. I enjoyed the Virgin Active brand thoroughly because of Wembley Square and then very sadly had to get treated this way by Long Street.
I have attached a WhatsApp conversation between the Manager and Myself. As mentioned before, I just received very slow service and Manager came across as very rude and unhelpful.

2016/12/03, 11:17 - Carmen Casteling: Hi Nadia! Pls let me know what is happening with my payments. Thank you, Carmen
2016/12/03, 11:24 - Nadia VirginActive: Payment been processed into your account, i asked admin if your details is sorted out and she said yes
2016/12/03, 11:41 - Carmen Casteling: Oh thank you. I will let you know when i recieve notifications.
Is my membership all sorted then and I am loaded as a GEI?
2016/12/03, 13:44 - Nadia VirginActive: Yes u are
2016/12/03, 13:49 - Carmen Casteling: Thank u very much
2016/12/06, 09:57 - Carmen Casteling: Hi Nadia. Just went to virgin now. No membership is found under my ID Number. Pls advise
2016/12/06, 10:08 - Nadia VirginActive: Speak to admin
2016/12/07, 07:34 - Nadia VirginActive: Hi you do know you had to give two weeks notice regarding not teaching
2016/12/07, 07:34 - Nadia VirginActive: It's stated in your contract if not you had to find your own cover.
2016/12/07, 07:43 - Carmen Casteling: Yes i told Donny in advance im unable to do evenings at all anymore.
2016/12/07, 07:44 - Nadia VirginActive: You spoke to him the 30th of November which was only a week notice and not two
2016/12/07, 07:47 - Carmen Casteling: Im sorry for the inconvience.
2016/12/07, 07:48 - Carmen Casteling: It has also been a huge inconvience that I started working for Long Street in August and I haven't been loaded onto the system or paid.
2016/12/07, 07:50 - Nadia VirginActive: I spoke to admin yesterday and was told you haven't given all your details which was your banking details, that's why no payment could've been processed. However please be careful what you discuss at various clubs
2016/12/07, 07:51 - Nadia VirginActive: Regarding membership sales need to load you a membership.
2016/12/07, 07:57 - Carmen Casteling: No. I spoke to Jady yesterday from Wembley. And the CA needs to load me onto the system, as Iv been told Sales has nothing to do with it.
2016/12/07, 07:58 - Carmen Casteling: Iv given all my details twice. I keep being told my forms are lost
2016/12/07, 08:01 - Nadia VirginActive: I'll speak to Donny about it, the fault could lie by him. However there was a equiry that come from Wembly regarding you saying about no payments. For the future don't discuss things at another club, they would always report to the club you speaking from which you would look bad at the end of the day. You should always keep it in-house and my apologies for your things not being sorted out. Donny doesn't work like i do.
2016/12/07, 08:05 - Carmen Casteling: I've spoken Donny 1000 times with nothing getting done. That is why I spoke to Jady because I am very upset with no work getting done. My apologies for going out of house but as I mentioned nothing was getting done.

Thank you
2016/12/14, 16:30 - Carmen Casteling: Hi Nadia! Please let me know what is happening with payment. Still havent recieved anything.
2016/12/14, 16:32 - Nadia VirginActive: Are you sure about that
2016/12/14, 16:35 - Carmen Casteling: Yes
2016/12/14, 16:36 - Nadia VirginActive: Give me a moment
2016/12/14, 16:39 - Nadia VirginActive: Can you send me your bank account number please
2016/12/14, 16:41 - Carmen Casteling: C casteling
Nedbank
[protected]
101 421
2016/12/17, 11:27 - Carmen Casteling: Hi Nadia, please update me about payments
2016/12/17, 11:50 - Nadia VirginActive: Ill let u know Carmen because payment was made long ago to the banking details u gave. So can u please wait as i do not work on weekends
2016/12/17, 12:00 - Carmen Casteling: Ok. I still have not recieved anything.
2016/12/20, 15:08 - Carmen Casteling: Hi Nadia. Please update me about payment. Still havent recieved anything
2016/12/20, 21:18 - Carmen Casteling: Hi?
2016/12/20, 21:18 - Nadia VirginActive: Hi as i said before i'll contact you.
2016/12/20, 21:19 - Carmen Casteling: But what is taking so long? I don't understand why this needs to be such a drawn out process.
2016/12/20, 21:20 - Nadia VirginActive: Because its something out of club leave, we need to find out who received the payment, its not just about transfering money when we actually paid someone.
2016/12/20, 21:21 - Nadia VirginActive: With the banking details you provided before
2016/12/20, 21:32 - Carmen Casteling: Ok.. I have a nedbank and fnb account and no payment has been done to either account.
2016/12/20, 21:34 - Nadia VirginActive: I'll get back to you once admin received feedback from our head offices.
2016/12/20, 21:36 - Nadia VirginActive: Give me the details from both bank accounts so i can investigate where the money went.
2016/12/20, 21:49 - Carmen Casteling: IMG-[protected]-WA0025.jpg (file attached)
Fnb cheque acc
2016/12/20, 21:49 - Carmen Casteling: C casteling
Nedbank
[protected]
101 421
2016/12/21, 07:14 - Carmen Casteling: Hi Nadia, iv recieved R247 into my acc frm virgin.
2016/12/21, 07:16 - Nadia VirginActive: When
2016/12/21, 07:21 - Carmen Casteling: Today.
2016/12/21, 07:23 - Nadia VirginActive: How many classes have u taught
2016/12/21, 07:26 - Nadia VirginActive: Is it possible that you can get a 3months bank statement
2016/12/21, 07:40 - Carmen Casteling: Iv taken classes since august
2016/12/21, 07:41 - Carmen Casteling: No sorry i cnt do 3months bank statements.
2016/12/21, 07:49 - Nadia VirginActive: Why not?
2016/12/21, 07:50 - Carmen Casteling: Because they r R100 to print and i have 2 accounts. Why do i need to print 3months bank statements. I have not been paid by virgin. I hadn't been loaded on your system as a GEI so i would have not been paid.
2016/12/21, 08:07 - Nadia VirginActive: Like i said before it need to investigated where the money went, seeing that u dont want to give 3 months, you'll have to wait, would've been easier to check that way
2016/12/21, 08:26 - Carmen Casteling: I can check myself.
2016/12/21, 08:27 - Nadia VirginActive: You still dont get it
2016/12/21, 08:28 - Carmen Casteling: What is that?
2016/12/21, 08:30 - Nadia VirginActive: Ive been repeating myself to you the entire time
2016/12/21, 08:32 - Carmen Casteling: And so have I
2016/12/21, 09:19 - Nadia VirginActive: You expect help but im asking you to get one simple thing which u refuse to do.
2016/12/21, 09:24 - Carmen Casteling: They charge R100 for bank statements Nadia. Must i pay R100 myself to prove i havent been paid.
2016/12/21, 09:30 - Nadia VirginActive: Like i said on Saturday, i'll message you once i get feedback. Its very strange you received payment now and not the others. So can please wait till i text you than you texting me all the time
2016/12/21, 09:49 - Carmen Casteling: Thank you
2016/12/21, 15:18 - Carmen Casteling: Sorry to bug, seeing my Nedbank account- i see i was paid R742.50 at the end of November and then like i mentioned today R247.50
So it would just be what is outstanding.
I will mail you 3months bank statements nw.
2017/02/09, 09:31 - Carmen Casteling: Hi Nadia, can I please get some form of information on the total amount that i should be paid and that is still owed. Thank you.
2017/02/09, 11:29 - Nadia VirginActive: Excuse me
2017/02/09, 11:33 - Carmen Casteling: Sorry?
2017/02/09, 11:42 - Carmen Casteling: I dont understand what your response was directed to.
2017/02/09, 11:52 - Nadia VirginActive: To a message u sent me
2017/02/09, 12:23 - Carmen Casteling: Yes.. i would like to understand from the money i have been paid. What i am still owed and when will i recieve it
2017/02/09, 12:23 - Nadia VirginActive: Look here we don't owe you money, please don't come with the same issue
2017/02/09, 12:24 - Carmen Casteling: I did spinning classes for 4 months at R110 a class once a week and have only been paid roughly R900. I am still owed money
2017/02/09, 12:24 - Nadia VirginActive: You received all your money in nov and dec
2017/02/09, 12:42 - Carmen Casteling: Can i please recieve a statement of the full amount i was suppose to recieve
2017/02/09, 12:43 - Nadia VirginActive: Ull have to wait till admin returns on monday if u can be patient enough. Im sure all payment have been received

Hi there,

I have lodged a complaint at my own club reception - but feel strongly I should take this to head office as well, as it is now becoming a habit.

A certain female member of my member club, Paarl, has taken it upon herself to harass me in the female locker room/bathrooms.
This has happened twice already, once recently last year 2016 and now again last night 6th Feb 2017.

The person I am referring to is Mrs Gladys Coetzee, a regular long standing member at Paarl club.

This member is now making a habit out of this:

Waiting in the locker room/toilet area/change area for all women to leave, then harrassing me and making accusations and defamatory insults, waving her finger in my face, and threatening me, and making accusations towards me. Despite repeated attempts of me asking her to stop and leave me alone, or back off, she continues with threatening gestures and will not stop.

Please attend to this as I no longer feel safe in my own club bathroom.
This is always done when I am in a compromising position, such as just out of the shower, or toilet. Last night I was naked except for a towel.
This is most threatening and should not be tolerated.

Please asist with this. I am considering laying a charge of stalking and harassment against this woman as she is becoming a serious concern, and always does this when there are no witnesses around.
there are other incidents outside the gym such as waiting for me and following my car.
Please assist.

Kind Regards
Jacqueline Charge
[protected]

on Sunday 5th Feb 2017, our family of 5 visited the Virgin active Benoni, we had a visitor with us, We asked if it was possible for a visitor pass for her as we all just wanted to have a quick swim and she maybe interested in joining the gym. Well, R150-00 for a visitor is a total rip-off and very unwelcoming for a potential new member. Needless to say that we going to the gym We have not carried our wallets or money with us, because it gets stolen at the gym while you busy trying to keep fit, the receptionist didnt want to know a thing, it was lucky enough that we had some money in the car

We applied for a new membership at Virgin Active in Vanderbijlpark... Heinrich Manke is under my gardianship  and i applied for his membership. B vd Berg [protected].
On applying the marketer could see that he was previously a member and that his mother still owes money on his account..    After we signed the contract it was block because the outstanding money had to be paid... and we did...
after a few days they phoned me to inform me that we had to pay the outstanding money...after yet a few days his access was denied because of a outstanding   gadianship form... on signing... i ask if that was now final he replied yes... yet again after a few days the card was block because of a outstanding report card ..
I phone to complain to customer care and the manager phone me from Vanderbijlpark... yet to inform me that he THINK there is still an outstanding signature also...
But he was not sure and will confirm with me...absolutly unprofessional! He did not phone back!?
Again on entering the gym the card was blocked and the Lady (nasty ) inform Heinrich that we (me and him) should  sort out this outstanding information..  which we still not know what was outstanding ?
Card no.[protected]
SO unprofessional. We do not have time to run around after Virgin active staff members that does not know what is the nessasary doc 's that goes with opening a contract..
I do not have a problem to provide all outstanding info but at least ask for it all at one's!
I feel they owe Heinrich a apologie for today's nasty behaviour and laughing at him ... i am going to to social media and i will not stop to tell everyone what bad serves we got..
I do not have time to waist ... and can not run around after your employers in competency!
They are quick to sell a contract but the after service are poor!

Recently started a Vitality Membership at your Roodepoort Branch at the of October 2016 for myself and my daughter

The Sales guy Moses made her sign a contract as she wanted to start immediately we paid R99 for this and was debited R495 on the 1st November 2016 which I returned as this was not the membership I wanted. I than paid R1590 for myself and the Sales guy promised her a free month until we sign her on the 1st December 2016

Another debit of R495 goes of the 1st December 2016 and again back at the gym told the Sales guy he said the month was free and I returned the debit order again. He finally signed her up on the correct Vitality membership and paid her once off R1590

Her 1st membership in the meantime went into arrears and both memerships was cancelled, we struggled for her to get into the gym for the month of January 2017. I than made an arrangement with the Sales guy to pay the arrears for November at the end of January for a contract I didn't want in the first place

I made a payment of R609 on the 31st January 2017 and arranged with the Sales guy that I will come the week to sign for a new card so they can activate the card. We made the appointment on the evening of the 2nd February 2017 and he already left when I arrived. I was furious and another Sales lady Lebogang assisted me in her own way made me sign a manual contract and that they will sort my daughter's membership out

Called the Branch Manager Riza on Friday the 3rd February and he promised they will sort the account out and will let me know what's happening, which I followed up again the afternoon with no response to date

I am still in shock to get service like that from a gym

Can someone else of higher authority please sort this out as the way I feel I can cancel both contracts demand both once of fees back and I am Discovery know about this horrible service as well

Very annoyed with the service and want to be contacted urgently

Mrs VC Johaar
Cell: [protected]

I want to believe, that in a Democratic Country, such as S.A. (supposed to be), that I can choose whom I want to see naked. But at the VA gyms you don't have a choice, the people is walking around all naked to and fro from the showers, shower with open doors, and even use the toilets without closing the door? Standing naked after their shower, chatting or rather yelling to the persons next to them, lifting their legs, applying cream, comb their hair, do their make- up, and then at last, before leaving putting on their clothes. It is not that I am shy, or shamefull of my own body, but it is a matter of respect. Are'nt ones body supposed to be private? I also would like to use the steamroom, but would not put my toe in there in a million years, what happened to the hygienic rule that you need to sit there with unerwear or a costume wrapped in a towel? Now it is naked bodies, dripping of sweat, and all the other jiggie things from sitting without at least a pantie, and session after session, changing bodies on the same spot? How hygenic is that? I don't want to complain without coming up or suggest a solution. Seeingly that there is no individual changing rooms, I don't expect them to change in the toilets like me and my friends do, but at least, they can cover themselves with a towel to the shower and back, dry themselves in the shower, and at least put on a pantie and a bra before they exit the shower. And for the steamroom, wear a costume or a pantie and a bra, and wrap yourself in a towel. And also how grose is it, to brush you teeth in the hand basin? what about doing it before you came to the gym? This complaint is done by me, but thousand of us is feeling the same about this. I can get you a signed petition on facebook within hours, if you want me to. Looking forward to hear from you VA. Kind Regards Bobby van der Westhuizen (A.J)
Cell: [protected] e-mail: [protected]@gmail.com

I have been a member at Virgin Active Little Falls since 2010 - it was a flagship club at the time, but sad to say it is no longer the case. To be honest the club has a moth eaten feel to it.

The dumbbells in the functional area are dirty and the plastic is broken. The machines on the floor are rusted and not looked after.

The chin-up machine was taken away in October '16 and upon enquiring I was told that is would not be replaced as the make was of poor quality, never mind what the members want.

I was on the treadmill tonight (which I might add most of the treadmills look sad) running at 10.5 just for it to cut out and stop, at that speed, stating the equipment had been locked out and call a technician. This is a serious risk and I could have dislocated my knee or my back, it is not the first time that this happens.

The front staff often talks to somebody else and is preoccupied instead of greeting in a friendly manner.

Is this what members can expect and pay for going forward.

Friday morning 27 January 2017, between 05h00 and 06h00, at Vrigin Active [protected]@reds Centurion, my car's window was smashed and valuables removed from my car. Taking of up with manager Cobus van den Berg, the simple response was "we cannot keep valuablesbin our cars". Since some of us have busy lifestyles, we wake up early from where we're immediately off to work. It is almost expected, operating a business between 05h00 - 21h30, that the security of members are valued and considered. It therefore only makes sense that security also operates during these times. Even more so to provide security to the staff operating even outside these times.

I've been a regular member for the past ten years and expect issues to be treated in a much more professional manner than telling me "don't leave valuables in you car". Questioning the security cameras I was told "yes we have cameras but it's not clear and only used for evacuation purposes".

On a different note, there are also small groups of female friends exercising together and also told by the same manager that " classes are not allowed without using instructors". When the ladies state that they will lodge a complaint they were told they are welcome as the complaintsngo to him as manager in any event! What arrogance!

I truly hope the abovementioned will be treated with the required attention and feedback given (and not imply brushed off).

Early to mid December 2016 I called virgin active requesting that for the month of December ONLY, my debit order should be moved from the 1st of January 17 to the 23rd of December 2016 as i was being payed a week earlier (payment usually 30/31). I also requested that from February it must be from the first of the month.

Virgin active debited order went through on the 24th of December 2017 as agreed. But for February 2017 deduction, virgin active debited me on the 25th of January 2017 even though the request was that my debit orders be reinstated to the 1st of the month.

As a result, i incurred a penalty fee from my bank of R100.

Then today (Friday 27 January 2017) at 15:32 i received a call from virgin active about the "missed" payment. I told the consultant that i was indeed waiting for the call and i tried to explain to her what happend. she instead defended the point that i requested the change and outright ignored the fact that i told her that on the day, i made both requests.

As a result, voices were raised on both ends and i tried to further explain to her then she started saying that a debit was made on the 1st of Jananuary and therefore my request was honored. But that was an outright lie because 1, from a statement of debit orders downloaded from my bank, no such debit order was done. secondly, i told her that the debit done on the 24 of December 2016 was for the month of January 2017.

The consultant went on to defend her point saying that the 24 December debit was for the month of December 2017.

I then asked that if that was so, then what was the debit done on the 1st of December 2017 for?

She then said she will send me my statement so i can see and that she would forward my call to her supervisor. but the call was instead cut and i did not talk to the supervisor.

I am very angry and dissatisfied about the call i received today from your consultant. mainly because she not only was unwilling to hear me out, but that she also lied about a debit order being made on the 1st of January 2017 to prove her point.

But what i am most angry about is the fact that i called Virgin Active to make a request to ensure that i pay you as and when i am payed. But instead, only half of the request is executed and as a result i incur bank charges because of a debit order being made earlier than requested and thereafter being called by your consultant and harassed for it.

AI am highly unimpressed and extremely angry with regards to the level of service i received from Virgin Active.