My telephone has been out of order for more than 5 weeks, and Telkom in Umtata is wasting my time. I now have 3 work orders, two of which have been "completed" without any success. The latest fault number is 677CEZ280807. That was given 5 weeks after the original report from me.
Somebody arrived at my house on Wednesday 10th December, and I was not informed that they were coming. Nobody was home - which is why I specifically asked, when reporting the fault, that I be contacted when they want to come out - each time. The work order was then closed.
Apparently, when someone is meant to contact me to ask me to come out to the house, and they don't, and they arrive and nobody is home, this gets listed on their work list as "access was denied" and it seems as if that is sufficient to close a work order - that happened with the first two work orders.
Denial of access?? More like denial of service!
The same happened on Thursday, after I re-reported the problem. After a meeting, I saw there was a missed call. Usually the local Telkom office doesn't answer their calls, and the one other time they did, the person claimed she was unable to spell her own name for me to keep as a reference. This time, on the 3rd number I tried for Telkom in Umtata, I got an answer, and was referred to the person who seems to be the manager in charge of the section dealing with my complaint. His name is Joseph, and his cell number is 0828217555.
Joseph referred me to Zanozuko, who was the technician who went to my house without bothering to ensure that I would be there to let him in. Zanozuko's cell number is 0782229951. Zanozuko agreed that someone would attend to my problem this morning (18th December) at 9am. At midday I phoned him because nobody had pitched up. He was in East London, and referred me back to Joseph. Joseph said somebody would be there at 2pm. Nobody came at 2pm - I was waiting. At 6:20pm I phoned him again, and asked him to send someone out immediately - I am sick and tired of waiting. Nobody has come. Now he is not taking my calls.
If the local Telkom people cannot keep their promises, and cannot provide a service, I would like to know so that I can have my line disconnected and stop paying rent for a service you're unable to provide.
I really do not know why they need access to my house. Two technicians (on the first work order and on the second) determined that the problem was an underground cable. It was only when I complained to Johannesburg after 4 weeks that this problem was addressed. Now I am told that they have fixed the cable - but only got that info after repeated attempts to find out why my line is not working. They tell me something else is wrong.
If I am on Candid Camera, please let me know, because this sort of mess would only be funny on such a TV show. If I am not on Candid Camera, please could you address the incompetence of the local Telkom staff, and have a talk with Joseph and Zanozuko and the others that are recorded as being involved. I would like feedback on whether or not any disciplinary action has been taken.
I always try to give them the benefit of the doubt, and think that the next call will eventually provide some service. It's like gambling - the next gamble might win you a million rand. But it's clear that the odds of getting service here are similar to the odds of winning that million rand - which is why I want out of their game.
I am giving a deadline for the local Telkom people - the LAST of several. If my line is not working by Monday 3 September, 8am, I will cancel my line and then leave for work. I have a busy week ahead, and I don't have time for more games from the local Telkom.
Somebody arrived at my house on Wednesday 10th December, and I was not informed that they were coming. Nobody was home - which is why I specifically asked, when reporting the fault, that I be contacted when they want to come out - each time. The work order was then closed.
Apparently, when someone is meant to contact me to ask me to come out to the house, and they don't, and they arrive and nobody is home, this gets listed on their work list as "access was denied" and it seems as if that is sufficient to close a work order - that happened with the first two work orders.
Denial of access?? More like denial of service!
The same happened on Thursday, after I re-reported the problem. After a meeting, I saw there was a missed call. Usually the local Telkom office doesn't answer their calls, and the one other time they did, the person claimed she was unable to spell her own name for me to keep as a reference. This time, on the 3rd number I tried for Telkom in Umtata, I got an answer, and was referred to the person who seems to be the manager in charge of the section dealing with my complaint. His name is Joseph, and his cell number is 0828217555.
Joseph referred me to Zanozuko, who was the technician who went to my house without bothering to ensure that I would be there to let him in. Zanozuko's cell number is 0782229951. Zanozuko agreed that someone would attend to my problem this morning (18th December) at 9am. At midday I phoned him because nobody had pitched up. He was in East London, and referred me back to Joseph. Joseph said somebody would be there at 2pm. Nobody came at 2pm - I was waiting. At 6:20pm I phoned him again, and asked him to send someone out immediately - I am sick and tired of waiting. Nobody has come. Now he is not taking my calls.
If the local Telkom people cannot keep their promises, and cannot provide a service, I would like to know so that I can have my line disconnected and stop paying rent for a service you're unable to provide.
I really do not know why they need access to my house. Two technicians (on the first work order and on the second) determined that the problem was an underground cable. It was only when I complained to Johannesburg after 4 weeks that this problem was addressed. Now I am told that they have fixed the cable - but only got that info after repeated attempts to find out why my line is not working. They tell me something else is wrong.
If I am on Candid Camera, please let me know, because this sort of mess would only be funny on such a TV show. If I am not on Candid Camera, please could you address the incompetence of the local Telkom staff, and have a talk with Joseph and Zanozuko and the others that are recorded as being involved. I would like feedback on whether or not any disciplinary action has been taken.
I always try to give them the benefit of the doubt, and think that the next call will eventually provide some service. It's like gambling - the next gamble might win you a million rand. But it's clear that the odds of getting service here are similar to the odds of winning that million rand - which is why I want out of their game.
I am giving a deadline for the local Telkom people - the LAST of several. If my line is not working by Monday 3 September, 8am, I will cancel my line and then leave for work. I have a busy week ahead, and I don't have time for more games from the local Telkom.
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