No lines for weeks
Since September last year many landline users in these areas were lucky if they had a solid week of use of their lines.
Businesses that have arranged to have the lines transferred to their premicells have done so at great expense The problem is reported and a reference number is issued, yet no-one at the call centre is briefed on the problem or able to offer any information.
Affected residents are annoyed that they still have to pay Telkom up front for a service that is practically non-existent.
Willow Park Conference Centre and Resort had suffered great losses due to cancellation of contracts and rearrangement of on-line services. The managing director has even written letters of concern to the minister of communications and the minister of transport in a desperate plea for assistance in finding a solution. The park has hired additional security personnel and guard dogs to ensure the safety of visitors.
Numerous small businesses are trying to operate without the tools to communicate. The principal of a school for underprivileged children, St Matthews in Sim Road, also feels the pinch. "Doing business by mobile phone is costly and inconvenient," Mrs Sharpley said.
Mrs Celeste Sutherland, a businesswoman in Sim Road, is at the end of her tether. She has tried every which way to highlight to Telkom the inconvenience and implications of the landlines being out of commission for so long.nShe e-mailed Telkom on its website and received a response saying they were being sabotaged by opposition companies. "Opposition? Telkom is the only land line company in this country," Mrs Sutherland said. "Telkom’s monopoly of this service reflects in the lack of customer service and the nonchalant way they shirk all responsiblity for their clientele’s financial losses," Mr James Johnson of First Road, Bredell said.
According to Mr Khulani Qoma, a Telkom spokesman, Telkom spends about R100 million per annum on security costs. "Although various successess have been achieved in this regard, the problem is still prevalent," he said. "Cable theft is a national problem affecting Telkom and other service providers who use copper cable. In addition to all the security initiatives implemented by Telkom to contain the problem, the company also works closely with Non-Ferrous Theft Combating Committee (NFTCC).
"Telkom will intensify and continue its collective initiatives towards eradicating the problem. We endeavour to resolve all interrupted services as expeditiously as possible. "Consumers are encouraged to report any suspicious behaviour on 0800-124-000."
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