- Vodacom confirmed its board approved a private settlement with Nkosana Makate on 4 November, ending their long-running "Please Call Me" court battle.
- The mobile company withdrew its appeals and dropped a High Court judgment, but has not revealed how much it will pay Makate.
Vodacom has finally settled its long fight with Nkosana Makate - the man who created the "Please Call Me" service.
In a statement to shareholders, the company said its board approved an out-of-court settlement on 4 November. It said both sides were happy to have reached finality.
Vodacom also confirmed it has withdrawn its appeal from the Supreme Court of Appeal and abandoned a High Court judgment from 8 February 2022 that had been in Makate's favour.
The details of the agreement are secret, including how much Makate will be paid. Vodacom said the payment has already been included in its interim results for the period ending 30 September, which will be released later in November.
Makate invented "Please Call Me" in 2001 while working as a junior employee at Vodacom. He went to court after the company refused to pay him for the idea.
He fought the case for more than 15 years, through several courts and repeated delays as Vodacom appealed every ruling that went against it.
The settlement follows a Constitutional Court ruling earlier this year that allowed Vodacom to appeal a Supreme Court decision that could have cost it over R40-billion.
That ruling was the final judgment of retiring Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who found in Vodacom's favour - paving the way for a private deal.
