Vodacom Pty Limited Versus Nkosana Kenneth Makate- A 20 Year Saga that has Far Reaching Ripples
1. Setting the Scene: A Big Idea in a Big Company Picture the early 2000s — the golden age of mobile communication. Vodacom was booming: fast‑growing, ambitious, and constantly hunting for the next big product. In the middle of this high‑energy environment stood Nkosana Kenneth Makate , a young employee with a deceptively simple idea: a way for people without airtime to ping someone and ask them to call back. That idea became “Please Call Me” (PCM) — a service that would go on to generate billions, reshape user behaviour, and become a standard feature across mobile networks to this day. Makate shared the idea with Phillip Geissler , Vodacom’s Director of Product Development. Geissler loved it, promised Makate compensation if it succeeded, and said the CEO would ultimately decide the amount. It all seemed straightforward… until it wasn’t. 2. The Fallout: When Success Meets Denial PCM launched. It took off like wildfire. It made Vodacom a fortune. Makate waited — as agreed...
