Please Call Me creator Nkosana Makate faces Vodacom again in Supreme Court

FACED with a collective legal bill of nearly R13 million for one day's arguments in the Constitutional Court, which was not even brought to the apex court by himself, Nkosana Makate and Vodacom will next month again face each other in the Supreme Court of Appeal over the Please Call Me (PCM) invention.

- ZELDA VENTER

Awaiting justice for more than two decades, Makate's legal battles continue. While he accepts the verdict of the Constitutional Court issued earlier this year that the matter must return to the SCA, Makate questions why he was slapped with a costs order.

"I do not agree with the awarding of costs in favour of Vodacom. During the same Constitutional Court process, I had to defend two Amicus Curiae applications — one from Vodafone and another from Yebo Yethu. These are shareholders of Vodacom. The Constitutional Court dismissed both but did not award me costs".

Makate questioned the apex court upholding Vodacom's application for leave to appeal while blaming the SCA judges for a mistrial.

"Surprisingly, it awards costs against me while referring the matter back to the SCA for a new hearing. This is hugely perplexing and contradictory and will send a chilling message to a small man in litigation against giants like Vodacom."