Makate versus Vodacom: A tale of David and Goliath

Settlement followed a legal bill totalling about R13m

- By Mpho Sibanyoni

Nkosana Makate reached a settlement with Vodacom.

“Please Call Me” inventor Nkosana Makate’s settlement with Vodacom over the product that reportedly generated the company billions of rands was one of the biggest stories of 2025.

There is an expectation that the settlement, rumoured to be close to a billion rands, will be disclosed when the company unveils its annual results in May.

The settlement followed a legal bill totalling about R13-million that Vodacom sent Makate after a day of arguments in the Constitutional Court.

This after Makate in August lost a Constitutional Court case against Vodacom with cost over the “please call me” matter, which was sent back to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).

The mobile telecommunication giant announced on November 5 that the company and Makate have settled the 18-year-old matter out of court.

The multinational made the announcement in a Stock Exchange News Service (Sens) statement, however, the statement did not mention the settlement amount.