Shain Germaner
JOHANNESBURG: Vodacom has been berated by the highest court in the land for its “dishonourable”, “unfortunate” and “unethical” conduct in the Please Call Me dispute.
Kenneth Nkosana Makate, who invented the Vodacom service, has spent more than 15 years battling the giant to be recognised and rewarded for his work. The reward could be more than R10 billion.
Yesterday, the Constitutional Court chastised Vodacom for its failure to pay Makate even “one penny” for his idea and insisted that in the next 30 days, the parties negotiate to determine how much he should be paid.
The shock verdict, read out by Justice Chris Jafta, noted how Vodacom had even used a company newsletter to credit and congratulate Makate for the idea, a clear indication that he was the inventor.
It has been widely reported that Vodacom made an estimated R70bn off the service and, in his initial claim, Makate wanted 15 percent – R10.5bn.
“After three dismissals in the lower courts, there were times where I felt like giving up. This is the end of the road. It's not what I chose, but I’m happy,” said Makate.
Yesterday, Vodacom said in a statement from spokesperson Byron Kennedy: “We are aware of the Constitutional Court ruling and are currently studying its contents.”