We cannot give Makate a cent more

Vodacom has stated that it cannot offer Kenneth Makate more money that was has already been proposed as reasonable compensation for his role in the Please Call Me service.

It has been stated that Vodacom offered Makate R49 million as compensation, an amount determined by Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub as per a Constitutional Court Order on the matter.

Litigation funder Chris Schoeman said the R49-million offer made to Makate is very generous and he should accept it – but added that Makate is technically “bankrupt” and owes many people a lot of money.

Schoeman helped to fund Makate’s legal case against Vodacom.

Cannot offer more money

During a conference call hosted by Vodacom this morning to provide feedback on the Please Call Me matter, the company confirmed that the amount it has offered Makate is “significantly higher” than R10 million.

Vodacom could not provide an exact figure, as it is bound by confidentiality clauses it agreed to with Makate.

Asked whether Vodacom would consider offering Makate more money to make the Please Call Me matter go away, the company said it cannot.

Vodacom and Makate’s legal teams were given the opportunity to negotiate on an amount following Makate’s Constitutional Court victory against Vodacom, but this resulted in a deadlock.

As a consequence, the court order stated that Joosub must step in as deadlock-breaker and determine the “reasonable compensation” amount.

Vodacom said Joosub was exceedingly generous with his offer – the reported R49 million payday which Makate has refused.

Judicial review

The latest statements from Vodacom follow Makate’s legal team serving Vodacom with correspondence stating that he is taking the compensation offer “on judicial review”.

Vodacom’s chief officer of legal and regulatory affairs Nkateko Nyoka confirmed the development, and stated that they cannot provide feedback on the matter until they have seen the legal documents.