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Vodacom Settles With 'Please Call Me' Inventor, Ending Two-Decade Dispute

Vodacom says the undisclosed payout has been recorded in results for the six months to 30 September 2025.

Overview

  • Vodacom announced that its board approved an out-of-court settlement with Nkosana (Kenneth) Makate on 4 November 2025.
  • The company did not disclose the amount, stating the financial impact is reflected in interim results and will appear in statutory filings.
  • As part of the settlement, Vodacom withdrew its appeal at the Supreme Court of Appeal and filed to abandon the 8 February 2022 High Court judgment.
  • The agreement brings finality to litigation over the 'Please Call Me' service, which had advanced through the High Court, SCA and Constitutional Court.
  • The settlement follows the Constitutional Court’s July 2025 decision setting aside the SCA’s revenue-share ruling and remitting the case for rehearing, which will now no longer proceed.