Nkosana Makate Net Worth

Few stories in South Africa have ever captured the legal clash between innovation and corporate might as vividly as the battle over the “Please Call Me” service. At the centre of this legal dispute stands Nkosana Makate, the former Vodacom trainee accountant whose simple idea reshaped mobile communications across Africa.

Yet despite the service’s immense value—Vodacom earnings from “Please Call Me” are estimated in the billions—Makate’s fortune remains modest.

Take a careful journey through this writing to understand who Makate is, his career path, the court rulings forcing Vodacom to negotiate a multi‑billion‑rand payout, and the current Nkosana Makate Net Worth.

1Who is Nkosana Makate

2What does Nkosana Makate do for a living?

3What did Nkosana Makate invent?

4Did Nkosana Makate work for Vodacom?

5What happened to Nkosana Makate

6Was Vodacom ordered to pay Makate?

7Nkosana Makate Net Worth

Who is Nkosana Makate

Kenneth Nkosana Makate Nhlapo was born in 1976 and raised in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. He earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree before joining Vodacom in 1995 as a trainee accountant.

It was during his early years at Vodacom that Makate conceived the idea of allowing subscribers with zero airtime to send a free “Please Call Me” message to friends and family—an innovation that Vodacom launched in 2001 and that became ubiquitous across mobile networks in Africa and beyond.

Despite coming up with the concept, Makate left Vodacom in 2003, moving on to roles at Nedbank and within local government finance departments, and his contribution went unrecognized by his employer for years.

What does Nkosana Makate do for a living?

After parting ways with Vodacom in 2003, Makate leveraged his accounting background into a career in banking and public service. He served as Finance Manager at Nedbank before joining the City of Johannesburg as Deputy Director of Business Governance.

Later, he became Director of Finance Control at the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). Today, Makate holds an executive finance position in Nedbank’s Private Banking division, earning a stable professional income that belies the massive value of his invention.

Though his “day job” secures his livelihood, the potential for a multi‑billion‑rand settlement with Vodacom promises to redefine his financial standing.

What did Nkosana Makate invent?

Makate invented the “Please Call Me” service in November 2000. His proposal was elegantly simple: a USSD code that allowed prepaid users to send a free text message requesting a callback from any other subscriber.

Once implemented in February 2001, the service exploded in popularity, enabling millions without airtime to stay connected. Although Makate did not patent the idea himself—Vodacom later credited MTN consultant Ari Kahn with the patent—the courts have affirmed that the original concept and wording belonged to Makate.

His invention directly contributed to Vodacom’s bottom line, generating substantial revenue through SMS traffic and paving the way for similar callback features around the world.

Did Nkosana Makate work for Vodacom?

Yes. Makate joined Vodacom immediately after graduating from university as a junior accountant. In late 2000, while still on the Vodacom payroll, he presented his manager with the “Please Call Me” concept, drafted on a piece of paper and explaining how zero‑airtime users could notify contacts that they needed a callback.

Vodacom adopted the idea in February 2001, integrating it into their network’s USSD menu. Although Makate was employed by Vodacom when he pitched the feature, the company later credited an external MTN consultant in patent filings, sidelining Makate’s role and setting the stage for a prolonged legal struggle.

What happened to Nkosana Makate

Nkosana Makate is known for a decades-long legal battle with Vodacom. In 2016, SA’s Constitutional Court confirmed that Makate invented the “Please Call Me” service. That service, which allows a user with no airtime to send a free callback request, became hugely profitable for Vodacom. Makate has since sought compensation.

Check out How To Transfer Data from MTN to Vodacom in South Africa in 2025

Was Vodacom ordered to pay Makate?

The legal battle reached the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in 2024. Following an initial Constitutional Court victory in 2016 that recognized Makate as the rightful inventor and ordered Vodacom to negotiate compensation, the dispute moved through lower courts.

In February 2024, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) sided firmly with Makate, and in that ruling, ordered Vodacom to make a new settlement offer to Makate. The court said Vodacom must come up with an offer around R9.4 billion, plus give Makate 5–7.5% of the product’s future revenues.

Prior to that, Makate had demanded R29 billion (about $1.5B) for PCM, while Vodacom had offered only R47 million.

According to Vodacom’s own figures, that could translate into a payout ranging from R9.4 billion to as much as R63 billion. While negotiations continue and Vodacom has signaled potential appeals, the SCA judgment compels the telecom giant to re‑engage in good faith talks with Makate.

Despite his role in a service worth billions to Vodacom, Nkosana Makate Net Worth remains surprisingly modest. According to multiple biographical profiles, Makate’s wealth stood at approximately R1 000 000 as of January 2025—an amount reflecting his salaried positions rather than any royalties from “Please Call Me”. This figure would spike massively if Vodacom pays him the sums he’s seeking.

Some reports speculate his net worth could rise to R20–R30 million if interim settlements materialize, but even that falls far short of the R9+ billion he and his legal team argue is due.

In other words, Makate’s current net worth is a fraction of the fortune he could receive once Vodacom complies with court orders, underscoring the disparity between his invention’s value and his realized earnings.

Also see: Vodacom Loses Court Case Over Spectrum Pooling

FAQs

How much will Makate get from Vodacom?

R29 billion

How old is Kenneth Makate?

48 years old

Did Makate win the case?

Makate approached the High Court, and in February 2024, the court ruled in his favour

How much is Vodacom worth?

268.19 billion

Conclusion

Nkosana Makate’s journey—from a junior accountant at Vodacom to a multi‑billion‑rand litigation hero—highlights both the power of individual innovation and the challenges inventors face when their employers reap the rewards. His story remains a testament to perseverance, legal tenacity, and the enduring importance of properly recognizing and compensating intellectual contributions.

Though his Nkosana Makate Net Worth is today measured in mere millions of rand, the courts have affirmed his claim to a share of the vast revenues generated by “Please Call Me.”

With Vodacom compelled to negotiate a new settlement offer of potentially R9 billion or more, Makate stands on the brink of transforming his finances as profoundly as he transformed mobile communication in Africa.