Vodacom
1Min
South Africa
Nov 16, 2025
Nkosana Makate, inventor of the “Please Call Me” service, is back in court to oppose a claim by Black Rock Mining demanding 40% of his reported R700 million settlement with Vodacom. Makate calls the demand “disgraceful” and insists the company has no legitimate claim.
Nkosana Makate, the inventor of the “Please Call Me” service, is returning to the Johannesburg High Court to challenge a claim by Black Rock Mining (BRM), which asserts it is entitled to 40% of his settlement with Vodacom. The legal demand comes after Makate’s long-running dispute with the telecom giant reportedly ended in a R700 million payout.
BRM claims it previously agreed, through a now-defunct company called Raining Men Trade, to fund Makate’s legal battle in exchange for a share of any settlement. Makate rejects the claim, describing it as fraudulent and a “disgraceful extortion bid.”
In court papers, Makate accuses BRM of dishonesty and insists the court will recognise that no legitimate investment was made toward his legal fees. He argues that the company’s demand has no basis and is an attempt to unfairly claim part of his settlement.
