Makate’s moment shadowed by dispute as early funder seeks share of “Please Call Me” triumph

After more than two decades of legal battles that tested both patience and principle, “Please Call Me” inventor Nkosana Makate finally secured a historic settlement from Vodacom. But as the dust settles on one of South Africa’s longest-running corporate disputes, a new challenge has emerged — his original funder wants a significant share of the payout.

Chris Schoeman’s company, Raining Men Trade, which supported Makate’s legal fight in its early stages, has now come forward demanding 40 % of the settlement. The company claims a 2011 funding agreement entitles it to nearly half of whatever Vodacom agreed to pay. Makate, however, insists that arrangement ended long ago and has no bearing on the present outcome.

The timing of the claim has raised eyebrows, arriving just days after Vodacom confirmed an out-of-court settlement reportedly valued at around R700 million, according to a viral Nedbank CIB research note. The settlement marks the culmination of Makate’s determined pursuit for recognition and compensation for his innovation, a fight that inspired many South Africans who saw in his journey the power of persistence against corporate might.

Leaked letters circulating social media show that Raining Men’s legal team warned both Vodacom and Makate’s attorneys that they would seek to freeze the payout if their claim was ignored. Legal analysts say the funder’s demand, though contractually grounded in an earlier phase of the case, could prove difficult to enforce given the time that has passed and changes in the litigation landscape since then.

For Makate, the battle has always been about justice and principle, not personal wealth. He has often spoken about the moral importance of standing up for what is right, especially for inventors whose ideas are taken for granted. Supporters argue that this latest claim should not overshadow his contribution to South Africa’s telecommunications history, an invention that connected millions of people and became a cultural staple.