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Let’s face it, it was a good idea. But that’s it. Nkosana Makate was an employee, and would not have been able to profit from the idea without the infrastructure of Vodacom. Nor would he have been in a position to invent it if he were not an employee there.
Why should reasonable compensation be linked to the income that was derived from the idea indefinitely? Any reasonable person would consider R47m more than enough compensation, being equal to a lifetime of Makate’s earnings. Nor should the court be concerned about how much he will have to give to his backers.
Sydney Kaye Via BusinessLIVE
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Nkosana Makate got more than enough
Court’s call in Vodacom case was the correct one
Gugu Lourie’s report refers (“Please Call Me inventor sidelined in judge’s Vodacom ruling”, February 9).
Let’s face it, it was a good idea. But that’s it. Nkosana Makate was an employee, and would not have been able to profit from the idea without the infrastructure of Vodacom. Nor would he have been in a position to invent it if he were not an employee there.
Why should reasonable compensation be linked to the income that was derived from the idea indefinitely? Any reasonable person would consider R47m more than enough compensation, being equal to a lifetime of Makate’s earnings. Nor should the court be concerned about how much he will have to give to his backers.
Sydney Kaye
Via BusinessLIVE
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Marathon fight with Vodacom over ‘Please call me’ leaves Nkosana Makate exhausted
GUGU LOURIE: Please Call Me inventor sidelined in judge’s Vodacom ruling
Vodacom to fight latest Please Call Me court ruling
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