Advertisement
After nearly two decades of legal battles, South Africa’s largest mobile operator, Vodacom, announced on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, that its board had approved a confidential out-of-court settlement with “Please Call Me” inventor Nkosana Makate for an undisclosed sum, bringing finality to the high-profile dispute over compensation for the service that generated billions in revenue.
The parties expressed relief at resolving the matter, which had evolved from Makate’s initial invention pitch to protracted litigation questioning MTN’s contributory role and the quantum of payout; the settlement has been accounted for in Vodacom’s interim financial results for the six months ended September 2025, with the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) appeal withdrawn and a notice sent to the High Court for leave to appeal against an SCA majority judgment that could have entitled Makate to around R28 billion, averting a scheduled rehearing on November 18.
Timeline of the “Please Call Me” Case
|
Date
|
Key Event
|
|---|---|
|
2000
|
Nkosana Makate, a junior accountant at Vodacom, conceives the “Please Call Me” (PCM) idea to allow airtime-free contact and pitches it to superior Philip Geissler, who verbally agrees to negotiate compensation.
|
|
February 2001
|
Vodacom launches the PCM service, which becomes hugely successful, generating billions in revenue.
|
|
February 2006
|
Makate resigns from Vodacom after 11 years, having received no recognition or payment for his invention.
|
|
2008
|
Makate files a civil claim in the South Gauteng High Court against Vodacom for fair compensation, marking the start of the litigation.
|
|
2013
|
Case heard in the South Gauteng High Court; Vodacom initially denies Makate’s invention claim.
|
|
July 2014
|
High Court dismisses Makate’s lawsuit with costs.
|
|
December 2014
|
Full Bench of the High Court denies Makate leave to appeal.
|
|
April 2015
|
Makate applies directly to the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) after the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) rejects his appeal prospects.
|
|
April 2016
|
ConCourt rules in Makate’s favor, affirming a binding oral contract and ordering Vodacom to negotiate “reasonable compensation” within 30 days.
|
|
June–November 2016
|
Negotiations deadlock; Makate faces disputes with legal funders; he applies to ConCourt for order clarification.
|
|
January 2017
|
Vodacom argues insufficient records for calculation; Makate’s ConCourt application dismissed, but negotiations ordered to resume.
|
|
Early 2018
|
Makate lodges complaints with regulatory bodies against Vodacom for financial misrepresentation amid a R10 million offer he deems inadequate.
|
|
January 2019
|
Vodacom announces a “reasonable compensation” settlement; Makate rejects it as insulting, vowing to continue the fight.
|
|
June 2020
|
ConCourt appoints retired judge Peter le Roux as independent arbitrator to determine compensation quantum after failed negotiations.
|
|
2022
|
Arbitrator le Roux rules Makate entitled to ~5% of PCM revenue over 18 years (2001–2019), valuing it at up to R29 billion including interest; Vodacom challenges the determination.
|
|
February 2024
|
SCA sets aside the arbitrator’s quantum decision, remanding it for reconsideration and criticizing aspects of the calculation.
|
|
November 2024
|
ConCourt hears arguments on SCA’s ruling.
|
|
July 31, 2025
|
ConCourt overturns SCA judgment, orders a new SCA bench to rehear the full case on facts and compensation, emphasizing proper evidence review.
|
|
August 2025
|
SCA schedules rehearing for November 18, 2025, with strict filing deadlines (Vodacom submissions by September 15).
|
|
October 28, 2025
|
High Court orders Makate to pay Vodacom R13 million in legal costs related to prior proceedings.
|
|
November 4, 2025
|
Vodacom board approves confidential out-of-court settlement with Makate for an undisclosed amount.
|
|
November 5, 2025
|
Settlement publicly announced; parties withdraw SCA appeal and High Court leave application, ending the 25-year saga.
|
Advertisement
