Kenneth Nkosana Makate wants 29 billion rands (2,3 trillion naira) from Vodacom for his 'Please Call Me' idea – which would instantly make him the fifth richest person in South Africa – placing him among the likes of Motsepe, Oppenheimer, and Rupert.

It was recently revealed in court documents related to the ongoing 'Please Call Me' legal battle that Nkosana Makate could stand to score R29 billion – at minimum – in compensation from Vodacom.

According to Makate, he had an idea for a free missed-call service that he shared with his superior at Vodacom in 2001. The service aimed to allow customers to get their contacts’ attention without using airtime.

As reported by Daily Investor, Vodacom launched the service, known as 'Please Call Me', in March 2001, and it became widely used across South Africa.

However, while Makate was involved in the idea phase of the product, he did not have any role in patenting, developing, or implementing it.

The invention of Please Call Me, at least in the form that reached consumers, is, in fact, not credited to Makate.

Legal expert Ari Kahn invented and patented his ‘Please Call Me’ service for another service provider, MTN, two months before Vodacom released its product.

Despite this, Makate launched a lengthy legal battle against Vodacom, seeking compensation for his idea.

Makate’s legal team had initially demanded R20 billion (N1,6 trillion) to compensate him for his idea, based on a calculation that the 'Please Call Me' product had generated R205 billion (N16 trillion) in revenue since its implementation.

Vodacom did not share Makate’s views on how much revenue the service generated or how much he deserved. The courts, however, have so far sided with the group’s former employee on the matter.

After being ordered to fairly compensate Makate for his idea, Vodacom initially offered him R10 million (N790 million). Makate rejected this offer, and Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub’s team then constructed four models to estimate how much Makate should get, based on different scenarios.

After averaging the two models with the highest values, he came up with an offer of R47 million (N3,7 billion). However, Makate rejected this as well, and the matter again ended up in court.

Makate approached the High Court, and in February 2022, the court ruled in his favour. Vodacom appealed this ruling at the Supreme Court of Appeal.

However, the Supreme Court dismissed Vodacom’s appeal and ordered the company to compensate Makate between 5% and 7.5% of the revenue generated by the service over 18 years.

According to MyBroadband’s analysis, this ranges from R28.99 billion (N2,3 trillion) to R55.37 billion (N4,3 trillion) using the models accepted by the court.

Vodacom is not satisfied with the ruling and is taking the matter back to the Constitutional Court.

POTENTIAL RICH LIST

If Makate ultimately gets the calculated payday, he would instantly become one of the top five richest South Africans today, even at the ‘lower’ R29 billion (N2,3 trillion) end of the compensation range.

He would be in the same league as South African business icons such as Johann Rupert, Nicky Oppenheimer, Koos Bekker, and Patrice Motsepe.

These business moguls built their wealth over a lifetime or even generations. They were the best of the best in their fields and built very large and successful businesses to generate their wealth.

Based on the court ruling, Makate would immediately join their ranks – for sharing a single idea with his superior.

Good ideas worth billions

Thank God for him

Telecom firms making billions by the day
So communication is that expensive

I didn't even know this case was still ongoing. I thought they had paid this man his money.

One of the fewest times a single man is fighting a giant corporation and winning.

Make dey no sha kill am ooo

Wow.. the judiciary tried by not accepting bribe and incentives "gifts" from the former employer to close off this case

Lol see as the op dey put their rand side by side with our naira😆😆. I see what u're trying to do their oo
Op you're a wicked man😅😂

Omo see money

If it was Nigeria, that man would have been in jail., Instead of being paid.

Lol

Kingray10:
If it was Nigeria, that man would have been in jail., Instead of being paid.

Lol 🤣
Dem fit don kpai am sef

That is the only way these SA lazy ass people make money, either from claims grants, benefits or compensation. Mumu folks

To become
He hasn't become yet.
Compensation for Ideas?
Damn!!!!!

Af0nja:
That is the only way these SA lazy ass people make money, either from claims grants, benefits or compensation. Mumu folks

Was he not supposed to be compensated for his idea that generated that massive revenue for the company?

Nice,I love this,no gree for anybody o.

oranget:

Was he not supposed to be compensated for his idea that generated that massive revenue for the company?

What is he like a billionaires wife that receives divorce settlement and instantly becomes the richest woman ?

Af0nja:
That is the only way these SA lazy ass people make money, either from claims grants, benefits or compensation. Mumu folks

But this is an idea, not like a free gift of some sort.

What do you think made Steve Job so rich and popular?

Idea!

relief

Af0nja:


What is he like a billionaires wife that receives divorce settlement and instantly becomes the richest woman ?

If he was wrong would the company try to settle him twice? They would have told him to Bleep off and go to court.
In the business world, using someone's idea without compensation is the same as theft.

The other (4) billionaires work their azz-off for many years building their wealth but he's about to be made one in a twinkle of an eye, who said God is not wonderful.

Af0nja:
That is the only way these SA lazy ass people make money, either from claims grants, benefits or compensation. Mumu folks

At least, he should have been paid for his ideas...
Now they're about to make him the 5th richest person in south Africa..


I sell herbs tho

If the 'Please Call Me' product was a FREE missed call service and also get your contacts attention WITHOUT USING AIRTIME, how then did it generate a revenue of R205billion?

MrSamsung:
If the 'Please Call Me' product was a FREE missed call service and also get your contacts attention WITHOUT USING AIRTIME, how then did it generate a revenue of R205billion?

The people calling you back used airtime over an 18 year period.

MzansiCoolio:


The people calling you back used airtime over an 18 year period.

ur head dey am,ppl that called bck seen that messege

MzansiCoolio:


The people calling you back used airtime over an 18 year period.

So that particular call airtime is charged differently and tied to the 'Please Call Me'?

MrSamsung:


So that particular call airtime is charged differently and tied to the 'Please Call Me'?

Please call me encourages traffic which means more calls, meaning more revenue for the company.

Shuji Nakamura comes to mind.
Companies ripping their workers everyday.

Oya cum sharp sharp

What kind of legal system is this? A matter has gotten to the supreme court, a decision has been made and yet the company is going back to dance around in a so called constitutional court? Justice delayed is justice denied.

Yet,

U probably consume a south African product every week.

What do they consume from u

Impossible, government must collect their "tax"