Vodacom victorious in R6.75 billion Please Call Me case
Vodacom has won a legal battle involving a former employee who was seeking R6.75 billion from the operator.
Nkosana Makate took Vodacom to court to get compensation for the Please Call Me service which he claims he invented in 2000.
He said the executive for product development at the time, Philip Geissler, promised in an oral agreement to facilitate remuneration negotiations with the company.
Makate wanted a share of the profits, at least 15% of the revenue, which equated to approximately R6.75 billion, according to reports.
Vodacom argued that the rights to anything developed or produced by its employees belong to the company.
Vodacom also said that Geissler did not have the right to promise Makete anything on behalf of Vodacom.
The High Court in Johannesburg, on Tuesday, dismissed the case with costs, Vodacom said.
It was reported that Pretoria attorney, Chris Schoeman, through his company, Sterling-Rand, funded Makate’s case.
The company picks up the legal fees on behalf of plaintiffs and takes a cut of any settlement that may be achieved.
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