Vodacom
Recycled number creates spam

I recently applied for a new cellular contract through Vodacom and was given a new phone number. The new number however belonged to someone else before me and I am now getting the previous owner's communication almost constantly. I have blocked numbers, asked companies to remove my new number from thei databases and I have even phoned the previous owner after tracking her down to ask her to change her cellular number with the companies she deals with - she told me that the spam was the reason she changed her number in the first place. I am now stuck with getting constant spam (even someone else's bank balances sent to me) and Vodacom cannot give me my old number back. The only solution they have is to give me another new number, and then I'll just be stuck with getting someone else's spam. My old number is now a prepaid number and I don't understand why Vodacom cannot just switch the numbers...