ConsumerTalk with Wendy Knowler

I cancelled my Telkom line, but I'm still being billed - irate customers recount

Communications giant Telkom has come under fire for their apparently poor customer care service.

Several consumers have complained about Telkom's failure to promptly address their contract cancellations.

Some clients claim Telkom has continued to bill them, despite terminating their phone or ADSL line.

Others claim that the service provider takes too long to attend to faulty connections or deliver on cellphone deals.

Read: Is your business listed in the white pages? Beware of scammers posing as Telkom

Consumer journo Wendy Knowler says although network providers generate loads of complaints in general, Telkom has been cropping up more than usual.

Knowler says that social media is awash with complaints about spurious billing and cancelled Telkom contracts.

Stellenbosch resident Joubert van Eeden says his credit record was affected by Telkom's incorrect billing, months after he cancelled his contract.

Van Eeden terminated his contract on 15 September 2017 and Telkom only closed the line on 20 January 2018.

Also read: 5 things you need to know about ending your gym or cellphone contract

He was billed over R1 800 for four months of service he was not using.

In March, external debt collectors began harassing him to pay for the money.

That very same month, his credit card application was rejected because of negative information on his credit record.

According to Van Eeden, both the Telkom customer service on social media and the helpline 10210 have not been helpful.

Many frustrated Telkom clients have shared similar stories about their contracts.

I filled out the service cancellation from in September and sent it in. I phoned Telkom and supplied the form. The next month I got bill.

— Joubert van Eeden, Telkom client and industrial engineer

I kept on getting these bills. I phone them and it continued. Everytime I spoke to their call centre agents they told me that they would escalate it, and nothing happened.

— Joubert van Eeden, Telkom client and industrial engineer

They said that they'd look into it and get back to me. I'm still waiting until today. It's been quite a long and lengthy exercise.

— Joubert van Eeden, Telkom client and industrial engineer

It took eight months to get everything sorted out. It had to be escalated right to the top.

— Claire, Telkom client

It took me 18 months to affect my Telkom cancellation. I escalated it week after week. I even got calls from an attorney.

— Telkom client via WhatsApp

The telecoms giant claims that their new online cancellation service is having "teething problems".

Telkom declined an invitation to respond to consumer complaints on the Pippa Hudson Show.

Listen to Wendy Knowler share her advice and consumers relay their experiences on ConsumerTalk:


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