South African telecommunications company Vodacom announced on Wednesday that it has settled a long-standing legal dispute with a former employee concerning his involvement in creating the company’s call-back messaging service. The legal battle over the “Please Call Me” service has lasted approximately 17 years, ultimately reaching South Africa’s highest court.
Vodacom released a statement on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, informing shareholders that a settlement agreement was approved by the board on November 4, 2025, resolving the matter out of court. The company, a subsidiary of Britain’s Vodafone, did not disclose the specific settlement amount. The settlement will be reflected in the financial results for the six months ending in September, to be published on November 10. Additionally, Vodacom has withdrawn its case from the Supreme Court of Appeal as part of the settlement.
Former employee Nkosana Makate, who had previously turned down a 47 million rand ($2.7 million) offer from Vodacom, has not yet provided a response. Makate had originally proposed the idea for the “Please Call Me” service to Vodacom’s product development director more than two decades ago. Although he was promised a share of the revenue from the service, this agreement was not honored, as stated in court documents. In a recent development, Vodacom obtained a partial victory in court when the Constitutional Court criticized a lower court’s decision that deemed Vodacom’s initial offer unfair.
