The 2005 Financial Mail/Empowerdex survey rated Telkom as the most empowered of all 184 companies on the JSE. With 70% of Telkom’s top management being black, the company’s leadership particularly understands the needs of the impoverished, as most have risen up the corporate ladder from extremely modest beginnings.
This is hardly the kind of leadership that will tolerate the marketing of products and services that “rip off the poor” (M&G Business, July 28). On the contrary, this is the leadership that consistently pours millions into the development of SMEs to enhance their capacity and capability to access business opportunities in the South African economy. Last year alone Telkom’s procurement spend on black SMEs was R872-million.
This is also the leadership that ensures the delivery of community projects under the auspices of the Telkom Foundation. The foundation’s principal objective is to contribute to the transformation of disadvantaged communities through sustainable development programmes in all nine provinces. These programmes help address the disparities between the advantaged and disadvantaged communities, especially those in rural areas.
The allegation, therefore, that Telkom is loading the dice against the poor is nothing more than a gross misunderstanding of Telkom’s product positioning. Multiple packages that accommodate different customer needs give our customers to choose the product that suits them best.
One of the products discussed in your article is SupremeCall. The primary target for this product is Telkom’s business customers. What is specifically beneficial from a business perspective over and above the pure per-second benefit is that SupremeCall makes it much easier for a business customer to buy a calling plan that will be loaded on to his total spend — irrespective of his number or type of access lines.
The Telkom CLOSER budget calling packages mainly target residential customers. The three options available range from R120 to R300 per month. All options include line rental and Call Answer (valued at R109,67 including VAT). Benefits range from one rate for local and long-distance calls, to free calls during Callmore time and inclusive minutes during standard time.
Telkom is as proudly South African as can be and will continue to reach out to previously disadvantaged communities. The company has always worked collaboratively to grow the telecommunications market, bridge the digital divide and provide affordable telecommunications access. We will not be derailed by uninformed criticism.
Lulu Letlape is group executive of corporate communication at Telkom