Vodacom has offered Kenneth Makate R49 million for his involvement in the Please Call Me service the network launched, according to litigation funder Chris Schoeman.
Schoeman made the statement during an interview on 702 about the Please Call Me battle.
Schoeman said he met Makate in 2011, and helped fund Makate’s legal battle against Vodacom – which ultimately resulted in the Constitutional Court ruling that the company must pay Makate “reasonable compensation” for his help on the Please Call Me.
The amount Vodacom offered Makate had previously only been rumour, as both parties signed non-disclosure agreements regarding the compensation negotiations.
Bankruptcy Allegations
Schoeman said the R49-million offer is very generous, and Makate should take it. He added that he instructed his lawyers to tell Makate’s lawyers to take the offer, as Schoeman is owed money for the legal funding he provided Makate.
The reason why Makate is not accepting the offer is because he is technically “bankrupt” and owes many people a lot of money.
Schoeman said that after Makate won his Constitutional Court battle against Vodacom, he went on a “spending spree” and people were throwing money at him.
This has left him in serious debt, said Schoeman.
Vodacom offer
Vodacom stated earlier this month that its CEO had determined the amount of reasonable compensation payable to Makate for his Please Call Me idea.
Makate responded to Vodacom’s statement, saying he has not agreed to any payment and that “the amount that the CEO has determined is shocking and an insult”.
Vodacom retorted, explaining that the Constitutional Court order which ordered it to pay Makate does not require him to agree to the amount set by their CEO.
Vodacom said it considers the matter closed, and that Makate’s funds will be transferred as soon as they have his banking details.
Vodacom continued to face attacks from politicians and lobby groups, however, leading to shut down and protest threats.
This morning, Vodacom shut down its headquarters and Vodacom World mall ahead of expected protest action – with the “Please Call Me Movement”, an organisation demanding Vodacom pay Makate R70 billion for his Please Call Me “invention”, set to lead the protests.
