South African Constitutional Court Upholds Vodacom Appeal, Returns 'Please Call Me' Case to Supreme Court

South Africa’s Constitutional Court has upheld Vodacom's appeal in the long-running legal battle over the 'Please Call Me' service, sending the case back to a new panel of the Supreme Court of Appeal for reconsideration. Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga criticized the previous SCA judgment for failing to properly consider facts and issues, describing its reasoning as sometimes confusing and lacking awareness. The case involves former Vodacom employee Kenneth Makate, who claimed compensation for the idea behind the popular free call-back service launched in 2001. Previously, the SCA ruled in favor of Makate, with potential compensation estimates ranging between 29 billion rand ($1.6 billion) and 63 billion rand. Vodacom had initially offered Makate a settlement of 47 million rand, which he rejected, leading to ongoing litigation. The Constitutional Court’s decision allows Vodacom to appeal the SCA judgment, reflecting the complexity and high stakes of this intellectual property dispute.