Gauteng businessman\u00a0John Khaba is demanding\u00a0five cents of every R1 of pretax profit earned by Vodacom\u00a0from its Airtime Advance product.<\/p>\n
News of Khaba\u2019s legal action was recently\u00a0reported by the Sowetan<\/a><\/strong>, after which Vodacom confirmed the matter against it.<\/p>\n Khaba claims that Vodacom \u201cmisappropriated\u201d his Airtime Advance idea \u2013 a product the company launched in 2011.<\/p>\n Airtime Advance<\/strong><\/a> lets\u00a0customers buy R5 or R10 airtime on credit, and then pay an additional R1 for the advanced airtime the next time they recharge.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the customer owing R10 recharges with R12, R11 will be deducted and R1 will be loaded in the customer\u2019s account,\u201d stated Vodacom.<\/p>\n Khaba reportedly\u00a0approached Vodacom with the product idea\u00a0a year before it launched.<\/p>\n Khaba\u2019s lawyer\u00a0Pumzo Mbana said his client\u2019s\u00a0claim against Vodacom may be worth \u201ctens of millions\u201d, and that they were confident in\u00a0their case.<\/p>\n The matter has been filed at the\u00a0South Gauteng High Court.<\/p>\n Mbana said Vodacom has lodged a technical objection to their case, which will be heard by the court on 18 April.<\/p>\n Vodacom confirmed that Ndabenhle Business Enterprises, Khaba\u2019s company, had initiated the High Court action against it.<\/p>\n \u201cVodacom is defending this action and is seeking a dismissal of the case on the ground that the plaintiff\u2019s particulars of claim do not disclose a cause of action. The claim is not supported by facts,\u201d said Vodacom.<\/p>\n Vodacom Neotel deal back in the spotlight<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0MTN raises concern over Vodacom-Neotel deal<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nTens of millions owed<\/h3>\n
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