Bad customer service

I am writing to express my extreme disappointment with the service I recently received from Telkom.

On Tuesday, 10 June 2025, I visited the Telkom outlet at Sandton City to enquire about available fibre deals. I was assisted by a friendly and professional consultant named Musa, who helped me explore device options and guided me through the application process.

He requested the standard supporting documents to proceed with the vetting process. To my surprise, I was found on the Telkom database, despite not having been a Telkom customer for over 10 years. Regardless, the deal was approved, and I submitted all the required documentation:

Valid ID 3 months’ bank statements Recent payslip All submitted documents are in the surname I’ve legally used for over 11 years, as registered with Home Affairs.

However, I was later informed that in order to finalize the deal, I now need to provide a marriage certificate—despite already submitting a valid ID that accurately reflects my current legal name. This additional demand feels unreasonable, especially since:

I am not a current Telkom customer and should not appear in your database, particularly without active consent. According to the POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act), my personal data should not have been retained beyond the lawful five-year period. I had already provided all necessary documentation as per the initial request. Due to this, the deal has now been cancelled. Not only is this frustrating and disappointing for me as a potential customer, but it also negatively impacts Musa, who loses a potential sale and commission, possibly affecting his performance metrics.

This entire experience reflects poorly on Telkom's data management practices and customer service process. I will now be taking my business to a competitor that can handle such applications efficiently and professionally—without unnecessary disruptions caused by outdated or poorly maintained systems.