Telkom accuses Banks of adding R202 rejection fee - but BANKS DENIED this!

Telkom told me on FB messenger that the mystery R202 they add to a Telkom bill when a debit order is rejected, is actually a charge made by banks. An internet search revealed that other people got the same answer from Telkom over different time periods. So it is not just one uninformed official who made a mistake.

So I posted the question here on Hellpeter on Friday 17 January, to ABSA and FNB, to find out if this is the truth. DOES TELKOM ADD R202 TO A BILL ON BEHALF OF BANKS WHEN A DEBIT ORDER IS REJECTED? Both banks denied telephonically that this is the case. The bank representatives actually laughed about the suggestion. Then Who lies? Telkom or ABSA and FNB?

Since 2 December 2019 my burning question has been: Where can I get a copy of my Telkom contract in which I allegedly agreed to pay an amount of R202 every time a debit order is returned. Even if the payment is made on the same day on which the debit order was supposed to go off. The Telkom T&C's readily available online, only mentions the following: Take note of 6.5.5

6.5 Payments

6.5.5 Should any debit order be returned unpaid or stopped or rejected, Telkom Mobile will have the right to suspend the Subscriber’s account until such arrears amounts have been received and paid in full.

There is NO, ABSOLUTELY NO, mention of an additional amount that will be added, let alone R202. ONLY that the account will be suspended UNTILL the ARREARS AMOUNTS have been paid in full. NO EXTRA CHARGE OF R202.

The T&C's mention that a re-connection fee may apply if the account was SUSPENDED but if the account was not suspended, then what is this R202?

I tried to find out the following: 1) The legality of adding this amount, 2) Why it is not mentioned in the Telkom T&C's - but a contradictory statement is mentioned in the T&C's? 3) A Copy of an alleged (by Telkom) contract I have, agreeing to pay such an amount.

So I contacted Telkom representatives listed on the South African Telkom Government page. All have the email address of NonthandoM at Openserve. I asked them about this charge. I got an email, asking for account details and the assurance that the matter will be "escalated." Maybe everybody with the same problem should mail to this address. A few days later, Telkom contacted me on FB messenger and said the matter will be "escalated."

In the meantime, I also went to a Telkom branch, for hopefully, more clarity. They advised that they cannot help because I bought my contract online, but a verbal agreement might be in place. Which Telkom should be able to supply since all calls are recorded. According to them. If such an agreement exists.

After a lot of back and forth between Telkom and me on FB, between 2 December and 14 January, (failing to provide any proof of agreement or contract and "escalating the matter numerous times), Telkom finally said that the banks added this R202 charge.

So I asked the banks if this is true, on Friday 17 January 2020 and they both, in a short time, denied that a bank will ever add such a charge. Any charges they add are reflected in their OWN bank statements they confirmed. And since this R202 is not reflected on a bank statement but on a Telkom BILL - then the charge is by Telkom. Against their own T&C's.

These are very, very conflicting answers. From saying that there is a contract with my agreement to pay R202, (of which I just cannot get a copy), to the accusation that the banks add the charge. Which the banks denied.

This amount seems to be added without any prior information to the possibility of such a penalty, (when a new agreement/contract is taken out), no mention of such an amount to be added is mentioned in the Telkom T&C's and then, if all else fails, the blame is shifted to the banks.

Is there any lawyer out there who will be willing to play David and Goliath and take Telkom on about this, on behalf of the people of South Africa who get charged this amount and then get very conflicting, - and seemingly untrue - answers from Telkom about why this amount is added to a bill? Telkom seems to be trying their luck and getting away with seeming ******* action. I just never got a logical explanation or proof, and answers vary dramatically. I have kept all communication about this matter between me and Telkom - I advise everybody else to do the same, and make copies. Something needs to be done.

I will not pay this amount added to my bill and will take the matter to the Small Claims Court if needed. If they order me to pay it, - only then I will. An internet search revealed that Telkom had been taken to the SCC in the past already on other issues.

All this should be mentioned on Twitter and to the newspapers. I have posted public comments to people with the same issue, here on HELLOPETER, for about two pages, to November 2019, but there are just too many. But there should be a way to stop Telkom to continue with this practice for which they have no proper explanation, give contradictory answers about, and blatantly lie about. R202 is a lot of money for many South Africans and Telkom is making millions out of all this R202 x thousands of people. No other institution or mobile provider adds such a charge, which in many cases is more than the actual bill of R99 or R149, regardless of the fact that it is paid manually within a day or week.