‘Please Call Me’ inventor is proving be a no pushover against Vodacom

Nkosana Makate, the man who, courts have ruled, invented the “Please Call Me” concept for Vodacom, is proving not to be a pushover for the cellphone giant and its legal team.

This week, High Court Judge Wendy Hughes ordered that Vodacom pay Makate 5% of all revenue generated
by his concept between 2001 and last year. The court also ruled that he is entitled to 27% of the revenue generated by the return of calls sent through the Please Call Me platform.

ALSO READ: ‘They generated billions’, says ‘Please Call Me’ inventor as Vodacom vows to appeal ruling

Unsurprisingly, Vodacom has said it will appeal… fighting the sort of legal “Stalingrad defence” that would make Jacob Zuma proud. There is a lot at stake. Vodacom, after trying unsuccessfully to claim Makate was not the inventor of “Please Call Me”, offered to pay him R47 million. By his calculation, though, he is owed R10 billion.

The courts – right up to the Constitutional Court – have consistently found in favour of Makate … but clearly a huge player like Vodacom has deep pockets when it comes to legal expenses. And, therein is the reality: justice – or the means to defeat it – is often only available to the rich.

Many voices have already been silenced by the power of money. Makate’s must not be another one of those.