How would you celebrate if you had just secured a deal worth hundreds of millions of rands?
“Please Call Me” inventor Nkosana Makate, 49, marked the occasion this week by submitting two reports at work. There was no popping of champagne, no big party, no Caribbean cruise booking, and no visit to a luxury car showroom. Makate told our sister publication, Sunday Times there would not be any major changes, as he wants to live a normal life.
“I am still working. Yesterday I was working very hard delivering reports and doing presentations. Until I decide otherwise, I am still locked in,” he said.
The senior accountant at the South African Local Government Association (Salga) said he was “still absorbing” the landmark deal he signed with Vodacom following a two-decade David and Goliath legal battle with the telecoms giant. The agreement was approved by Vodacom shareholders on Tuesday.
While the value of the deal has not been made public, there is speculation that it could range between R350m and R900m. Makate initially sought a R9bn payout, and rejected a previous offer of R47m six years ago. The deal, signed last Sunday, came just two weeks before the next scheduled court showdown, which was scheduled for November 18.
Makate said the finalisation of the standoff had “brought some relief from the endless court battles … It is a significant moment because it came after a long battle.”
Makate, who signed a non-disclosure agreement on the payout, has seen some of the speculation on social media. “People can guess … I will stick to my end of the bargain [regarding non-disclosure],” he said.
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