PLease call 1
Kenneth Makate, who invented the Please Call Me service (Picture courtesy: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency)
Masego Mosipa
Amid the country’s economic challenges and pervasive illnesses, Nkosana Makete has found 63 billion reasons to smile despite the hardships.
Kenneth Nkosana Makete, a well-known figure for his legal dispute with the telecommunications giant Vodacom, has finally emerged victorious after a 16-year-long court battle. The issue began when Makete claimed that Vodacom had unlawfully taken his idea for the “Please Call Me” service, which he had created on February 10th, 2001. Despite initiating legal proceedings in 2008, Makete persisted and fought hard to prove his case in court.
The court initially awarded Makete 47 million rands. However, Makete declined the 10 million rands offered by Vodacom and insisted on receiving 20 billion rands as compensation. The legal process carried on as Makete’s team disputed the initial decision and aimed for a larger settlement.
Finally, on March 12, 2024, the court made a significant ruling. It ordered Vodacom to pay Makete an astonishing amount of 63 billion rand. This sum represents around 5-7.5% of the total revenue the “Please Call Me” service generated from 2001 to 2021.
This verdict represents Makete’s perseverance and determination. However, Vodacom plans to contest it, just like the previous ruling of 47 million rand.
The question remains if this is indeed the conclusion of the legal dispute or if it will continue to unfold in the coming years.
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