Failure to activate sms roaming

Telkom has been the most unhelpful service provider I have ever had. I had asked to activate my sms roaming so that I could still keep my number while living abroad. I signed all the necessary paper work and followed all their instructions. It never worked even though they insisted that it was activated and fine. Fast forward to today, I am in SA and I find out my number has been disconnected. I've had this number for more than a decade and this is simply disappointing.