The Constitutional Court will issue a judgment on the high-stakes “Please Call Me” case between Nkosana Makate and Vodacom, a subsidiary of British telecom giant Vodafone.
The matter was heard on 21 November 2024, but six months later, the ruling remains pending.
Vodacom is appealing a Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) decision that overturned its initial R47 million compensation offer, rejected by Makate in 2019, and ordered a new offer.
Makate is demanding R9.4 billion for his invention, which Vodacom has profited from since 2000.
In a post on X, the Constitutional Court stated: “Judgment to be handed down on 31 July 2025 at 10h00: Did the Supreme Court of Appeal disregard the true issues before it with the result that there was a total failure of justice, in breach of the rule of law and the constitutional right to a fair hearing?”
The apex court added: “Did the Supreme Court of Appeal act beyond its jurisdiction in setting aside and substituting the High Court’s order with its own, in the absence of a cross-appeal?”
It has taken the Constitutional Court eight months to finalise the judgment.
Some South Africans following the case shared reactions on X.
