Cancellation confusion

Telkom provides a service cancellation option on their user portal. I used this option to complete a cancellation request for a mobile service and received a reference number. Followed up the reference number with the helpdesk this morning, and the agent confirms that he can see my cancellation request. However, he informed me that this is not a valid channel for cancellations, I have to complete a form and email it.

Not sure what the point is of providing a facility for account instructions that the company is not going to honour. If I had not bothered to follow up I can only assume based on previous experience that Telkom would happily continue to bill me.