International mobile giant Vodafone is reportedly trying to get involved in the local ‘Please Call Me’ saga, which could see Vodacom on the hook for up to R63 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Sunday Times reports<\/strong><\/a> that Vodafone, the majority shareholder in Vodacom, has applied to be a friend of the court in the ongoing legal battle between Makate and Vodacom over the Please Call Me service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Makate is opposing the application on the basis that it is premature as the court has not yet accepted the case, that Vodafone is not a friend of the court but a majority shareholder in the group being litigated against, and that the numbers quoted by Vodacom for his claim (up to R63 billion) are incorrect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said his claim from 2020 still stands – R9.7 billion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The entire saga is back at the Constitutional Court after Vodacom was ordered by the Supreme Court of Appeal to pay Makate billions of rands owed to him for the idea behind the Please Call Me service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vodacom noted in March<\/strong><\/a> that it was on the hook for between R40 billion and R63 billion, based on this order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The protracted 20-year legal battle has been going back-and-forth between various courts, with the Constitutional Court now again expected to bring finality to the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Makate, he had an idea for a free missed-call service that he shared with his superior at Vodacom in 2001. The service aimed to allow customers to get their contacts\u2019 attention without using airtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n