True amount in Vodacom settlement to Makate allegedly revealed

Thought it was going to be a billion.
 
I’m sure that the are the very same people employees that backed Makate to get R17bn money

www.moneyweb.co.za

Vodacom CEO scores R137m payday

The group has established a minimum annual pay of R280 000 for South African employees.
www.moneyweb.co.za www.moneyweb.co.za
 
RedViking said:
Vodacom shareholders should sue their legal team and fire their CEO.
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I'm not sure which CEO was at the helm when this started but Vodacom was always going to pay a hefty amount since legal proceedings started so not the current CEO's fault. I think their legal team did quite a good job of stretching this out and keeping the payout to a minimum.
 
Swa said:
I'm not sure which CEO was at the helm when this started but Vodacom was always going to pay a hefty amount since legal proceedings started so not the current CEO's fault. I think their legal team did quite a good job of stretching this out and keeping the payout to a minimum.
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No, they did a HORRIBLE job.
 
Brian_G said:
Wasn't it proven that the original idea came from elsewhere? Something is rotten here
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MTN did, in fact, patent a similar service first. The actual inventor of the "Please Call Me" technology was a legal expert and R&D consultant named Ari Kahn, who conceived and patented the "CallMe" system on behalf of MTN in late 2000. [1, 2]
The true timeline of events highlights a complex history between the two networks:
  • November 2000: Ari Kahn, working for MTN, briefed patent attorneys on the "CallMe" technology. Days later, Kenneth Makate (then a Vodacom finance employee) proposed a "buzzing" concept to his managers. [1, 2]
  • January 2001: The South African Patent Office granted the "CallMe" patent to Kahn and MTN. MTN launched its service on January 23, 2001. [1, 2]
  • March 2001: Vodacom launched its version (originally also called "Call Me", but changed to "Please Call Me" due to an MTN cease-and-desist)

Does anyone know if Makate got any form of bonus or something for suggesting the idea? That would have been "fair", being an employee. I still find the whole story quite wild. I need to go back and claim money from my previous employers over the last 20 years. loooool
 
Brian_G said:
Wasn't it proven that the original idea came from elsewhere? Something is rotten here
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Of course. The concept was already taking hold worldwide. I did a search but couldn't find where it originated as it was rather obvious at the time your phone service should include it in some form. Vodacom were idiots to promise anything and then credit him with the idea.
 
Swa said:
Of course. The concept was already taking hold worldwide. I did a search but couldn't find where it originated as it was rather obvious at the time your phone service should include it in some form. Vodacom were idiots to promise anything and then credit him with the idea.
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I think there was also a bit luck at play with the court system.
 
Yeah, whole thing sounds like a knife edge financial dance. Whatever, they won't even feel it
 
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