‘Please Call Me’ inventor ordered to pay Vodacom R13 million in legal costs
Zuko Komisa
- The Constitutional Court ordered “Please Call Me” inventor Nkosana Makate to pay Vodacom approximately R13 million in legal costs.
- The ruling follows a successful Vodacom appeal that overturned a previous judgement and sent the compensation case back to the SCA for reconsideration.
- Despite the cost order, Makate remains resolute, vowing to continue the legal fight for a revenue share, having rejected Vodacom’s prior R47 million offer.
The long-running legal dispute between Vodacom and the inventor of the “Please Call Me” service, Nkosana Makate, has taken a costly turn.
The Constitutional Court has ordered Makate to cover Vodacom’s legal expenses, reportedly amounting to approximately R13 million.
This significant financial penalty follows Vodacom’s successful appeal, which saw the Constitutional Court overturn a previous Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling.
That earlier decision had directed Vodacom to pay Makate a share of the service’s revenue.
The core compensation case has now been sent back to the SCA for a fresh hearing.
The Constitutional Court deemed that Vodacom was entitled to the costs of three counsels, a rare and substantial ruling.
This was justified by the court due to the case’s complexity, the size of the legal record, and the “very large amount at stake.”
Makate, who invented the service in 2000 while working for Vodacom, has been fighting for fair compensation for years.
He rejected Vodacom’s prior offer of R47 million, arguing that he is due a percentage of the revenue generated over nearly two decades.
Despite the setback, Makate remains determined to continue his legal fight, stating he will return to the SCA.