Old South African bank notes an issue

Old South African notes is now an issue or problem that has occurred when one pays with old notes. On 27 May I was denied to pay with an old one hundred rand note which is a legit South African note and I was shocked when Pep Cell employee at Tembisa Plaza said the shop no longer accept these notes and when i asked why she said just said PEP as a company does not accept these notes any more and advise me to go and use it at the bank or Shoprite. I was left surprised as i wondered how that is possible. I then thought about people in rural areas where people have to travel distances to get to town or even banks to change only a 100 note if pep store was the only place for people to buy what they need and denied to pay with these notes. Unfortunately, the reserve bank has not yet discontinued the use of old notes notes.