No hard feelings‚ Vodacom: 'Please Call Me' inventor after court victory

26 April 2016 - 14:47 By Nomahlubi Jordaan

The man who fought since 2001 to be compensated by Vodacom for a concept he came up with‚ has no hard feelings towards the cellphone giant.Nkosana Makate was vindicated on Tuesday when he finally won his claim in the country's highest court‚ the Constitutional Court.Vodacom unethical in refusing to pay former employee for 'Please Call Me' idea“I have no hard feelings towards Vodacom. I love the company. I worked for it since I was 18 years old‚” a visibly elated Makate said after the judgment.Vodacom must pay 'Please call me' inventorHe said he initially did not want to take his former employer to court.“[The legal battle] is not what I chose‚ it [was] circumstances‚ but I’m happy.”Makate's legal team‚ friends and family members hugged him and shook his hand immediately after the Constitutional Court declared that there had been an agreement between him and his former employer Vodacom that he would be compensated for his “Please Call Me” idea.It marked the end of a protracted legal battle and Makate said he was now ready to move on with his life.“I’ve been on this road for 16 years‚ nine years now in trial‚ after three dismissals by the lower courts. It’s been a long journey for me‚” Makate said.He said he was upbeat about the upcoming negotiations between him and Vodacom. The court ordered Vodacom to start talks with Makate within 30 days to determine the reasonable compensation payable to him.Vodacom launched the "Please Call Me" service in 2001.Makate said he had earlier proposed 15% of the proceeds of the "Please Call Me" service and they would "take it from there" in the talks.He was also positive that the ruling would mean something for those fighting similar battles.“There are two important legal hurdles that we had to overcome; prescription and ostensible authority‚ and I am sure that those will then apply to all people in South Africa‚” Makate said.CCT 52-15 Kenneth Nkosana Makate v Vodacom (PTY) LimitedVoda..

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