Should Vodacom pay up?

Does Vodacom owe Nkosana Makate compensation?

  • Yes

    Votes: 103 31.0%

  • No

    Votes: 189 56.9%

  • Other

    Votes: 40 12.0%
  • Total voters
    332
3WA said:
On what basis? Did Vodacom agree to 5% at the outset?
Click to expand...
The court said 5%. There after 27% on going.
Makate's legal team estimated the revenue of the please call's me to be at 205 billion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3WA
A couple of years back I came up with an idea to develop an application and process to sort some issues out at my company that could potentially cost millions in lost revenue.

I developed a functioning proof of concept to prove it could be done in-house and was given a small team to make the full product a reality. I project managed, developed on and rolled out this application in a few months, saving the company many 10's of millions in development costs, time and lost revenue.

All of this was done in addition to the duties I was employed for so could be regarded as "extra". I was compensated through my normal salary and recognized through our internal award process (a negligible monetary amount). I believe this was fair.

How does this joker think he is "owed" anything for his "idea". How does he get off rejecting the massive ex-gratia payment offered?
 
I don't care who "wins", I just want this out of the media. Sick of this nonsense.
 
  • Love
Reactions: 3WA
He didnt invent the concept,only pushed it on a differentiated manner to his company he worked for at the time : Vodacom.The concept was initially done by MTN whom was the first to provide a “please call me”-type service by an MTN subscriber being able to call an IVR system free of charge,they would proceed to enter a key code and then enter the recipient’s phone number in order to initiate a “please call me” message...
However as Makate implemented his idea based on calling free protocols viz string code *140*no.# he should have received some fair compensation/goodwill gratuity for his idea.. Keep in mind though that if he had a corporate contract signed on employment ,then he has basically given them intellectual rights for any idea submitted whilst in their employ but that's for them to check , validate against applicable laws and appeal /arbitrate or pursue lengthy further legal battles..
In my opinion they should offer him a higher settlement amount as a final offer and if refused then pursue further..
 
3WA said:
They should pay.

They should not pay billions.

R47M seemed fine to me.

Realistically, hitting Vodacom for billions of rands to enrich one person (and some lawyers) is going to hurt a lot of people to the point where it is not in the national interest.
Click to expand...
Vodacom has made billions on the back of an idea which was not theirs. The inventor is only asking for 5% of the proceeds thereof. If the company is enriching itself from this, why shouldn't the inventor also?
 
Vilas said:
Vodacom has made billions on the back of an idea which was not theirs. The inventor is only asking for 5% of the proceeds thereof. If the company is enriching itself from this, why shouldn't the inventor also?
Click to expand...

Because cash with a listed company is more beneficial to society than billions in the hands of an individual.

Vodacom pay tax, distribute dividends, provide jobs, and build infrastructure. Makate does not (except for the tax).
 
This fellow must take the R47M and run before the world ends …. for Vodacom, or worse, for him :whistling:
 
Vilas said:
Vodacom has made billions on the back of an idea which was not theirs. The inventor is only asking for 5% of the proceeds thereof. If the company is enriching itself from this, why shouldn't the inventor also?
Click to expand...
Who was the original inventor ?
 
No, he is greedy plain and simple. Wants Billions for an idea? He was offered a fair sum of money refused it. So now he should not get any.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X