Please Call Me Inventor Ordered To Pay Vodacom R13 Million

The Constitutional Court has ordered the Please Call Me inventor, Nkosana Makate, to pay telecommunications giant Vodacom a staggering sum for its legal costs. The amount is reported to be in the region of R13 million a figure that threatens to overshadow the long-running battle over compensation for his groundbreaking idea.

The ruling signifies a significant victory for Vodacom and a severe setback for Makate, who has been fighting for a fair share of the revenue generated by his invention for well over a decade. The cost order came as a direct result of Vodacom’s successful appeal, which overturned a previous judgment that had gone in Makate’s favour.

Please Call Me Inventor’s Case Against Vodacom

The legal labyrinth took a new turn when the highest court in the land set aside the Supreme Court of Appeal’s (SCA) ruling. That earlier decision had been a beacon of hope for Makate, as it compelled Vodacom to finally enter into negotiations for a compensation package based on a share of the revenue earned from the “Please Call Me” feature.

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Instead of concluding the matter, the Constitutional Court’s intervention has sent the entire compensation dispute back to the SCA for a fresh hearing, effectively resetting the clock on a case that has already spanned years.

In a move that underscores the severity of the cost order, the court deemed Vodacom’s application significant enough to warrant the fees for three legal counsels. A legal commentator noted,

“An order for the costs of three counsels is highly unusual and indicates the complexity and importance the court placed on the matter. It represents a substantial financial burden for any individual.”

Please Call Me Inventor To Appeal Vodacom Payout

Despite this monumental setback, Nkosana Makate remains defiant and unwilling to surrender his long-standing fight. He has consistently maintained that Vodacom’s previous settlement offer of R47 million was unacceptably low, arguing that it does not reflect the billions of Rands in revenue his idea has generated for the company since its launch in 2001. This latest legal cost has done nothing to dampen his resolve.

Speaking on the judgment, Makate stated,

“This is a heavy blow, but it is not the end. I have come too far to give up now. The fight for what is rightfully owed to me and my family will continue.” He added, “Vodacom thinks this will break me, but they are mistaken. The people are behind me, and justice will prevail.”

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His unwavering commitment suggests that the public has not seen the final chapter in this epic struggle between a solitary inventor and a corporate titan.

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