Who is Nkosana Makate? All about the ‘Please-Call-Me’ inventor, his net worth and personal life
Did you know that the 'Please Call Me' service originated from Nkosana Makate's idea? He is a South African financial officer who worked for Vodacom when he discovered the service. Makate reportedly never received compensation for bringing up the notion while he was an accounting trainee in the company's financial department.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Nkosana Makate's profiles summary
- Nkosana Makate's bio
- Nkosana Makate's height and weight
- Nkosana Makate's education and qualifications
- Nkosana Makate’s wife
- Nkosana Makate's career
- Nkosana Makate's net worth
- When was 'Please Call Me' created?
- What did Nkosana Makate invent?
- Legal battle
- Who patented "Please call me"?
- How did Makate invent please call me?
- How much did Vodacom make from Please call me.
- How much did Nkosana Makate get from Vodacom?
- Nkosana Makate's settlement
Nkosana has demonstrated his fighting spirit by staying determined to collect the recompense he is due for his PCM invention. With the debut of 'Please Call Me' in 2001, Vodacom reportedly made over R200 billion (about $10.6 billion)
Nkosana Makate's profiles summary
| Full name | Nkosana Kenneth Makate Nhlapo |
| Date of birth | 1976 |
| Age | About 48 years old as of 2025 |
| Gender | Male |
| Place of birth | Natalspruit Hospital |
| Nationality | South African |
| Education | Bachelor of Commerce |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Rebecca Makate |
| Children | 3 |
| Profession | Financial Executive |
| Famous of | Inventing 'Please Call Me' concept at Vodacom |
| @nkosana_makate | |
| X(Twitter) | @makate_nkosana |
| @Nkosana Makate |
Nkosana Makate's bio
Nkosana was born in 1976 at Natalspruit Hospital, but his exact date of birth is unknown. As of 2025, Makate is about 48 years old. His maternal grandparents raised him in the East Rand, Katlehon, Ekurhuleni, as his mother attended college training to become a teacher.
Source: UGC
Nkosana Makate's height and weight
His height is approximately 5 feet 10 inches, and his weight is approximately 78 kg.
Nkosana Makate's education and qualifications
He matriculated in 1994 after attending Alapang High School and transferring to a college in Springs, where he completed Grade 11. He continued his education at an unnamed university, where he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree with distinction.
Nkosana Makate’s wife
Source: Getty Images
His wife is Rebecca Makate, a paediatrician. The couple started dating in 1994 and married in 2005. They have three children together.
Nkosana Makate's career
The inventor of PCM began his professional career in accounting with Vodacom. In February 1995, he participated in the telecom giant's trainee accounting session. In 2003, he left to become the Finance Manager of Nedbank.
He served as the City of Joburg's Deputy Director of Business Governance from 2006 until 2013. Subsequently, in 2013, he became the Director of Finance Control for the South African Local Government Association.
Nkosana Makate's net worth
According to BioGlance, Nkosana has an estimated net worth of R1 million (about $52.8k) as of January 2025. His net worth is likely to increase if Vodacom compensates for his PCM concept.
When was 'Please Call Me' created?
Makate developed the concept in November 2000 and Vodacom launched the service in February 2001. Vodacom subscribers can send another user a "Please Call Me" message, which the other person can call back on any network.
What did Nkosana Makate invent?
The South African businessman invented "Please Call Me" and "Call Back." However, concerns about his compensation for the inventions have escalated and landed in court. There are persistent efforts to discredit him as the inventor.
Source: UGC
Legal battle
The businessman took Vodacom to court over compensation for inventing the 'Please Call Me' idea. The protracted legal dispute has dragged on for over two decades. A 2014 High Court ruling favoured the telecom, but Makate filed an appeal. The Constitutional Court confirmed later in 2016 that Nkosana came up with the idea for PCM.
In February 2024, South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ordered the company to pay Makate a settlement between R29 billion ($1.5 billion) and R55 billion ($2.8 billion). According to Forbes, Vodacom offered R47 million ($2.4 million) but the businessman refused, demanding more.
In November 2024, Businesslive reported that the SCA ordered Vodacom to make a fresh offer. Makate demanded a R9.4bn (about $496 million) compensation. The SCA also ordered Vodacom to pay Makate a percentage ranging from 5% to 7.5% of the PCM product's total revenue from March 2001 to the date of judgment.
However, Vodacom's legal team seeks to overturn the SCA decision at the apex court and stick to their initial offer of R47 million ($2.4 million).
Who patented "Please call me"?
Although Nkosana asserts authorship of the "Please Call Me" service, the patent belongs to Ari Kahn: On January 22, 2001, Spoor & Fisher submitted the sole patent application to the Patent Office on behalf of Ari Kahn, a former lead data consultant at MTN.
He received the patent award on the very same day. After coming up with the proposal the previous day, Kahn informed me that she briefed MTN's legal representatives on November 16, 2000. A statement he made to Stuff magazine read:
Speaking with Kahn, he informed me that Callme hit market saturation in the first month. Callme had the quickest service adoption rate ever documented in the history of telecoms and the Internet, with "hundreds of thousands of new users a day" being the rate of growth.
How did Makate invent please call me?
Makate discovered "Please Call Me" while a trainee accountant at Vodacom. The song was about his fiancée and their long-distance relationship. Like many other South African mobile phone users, his then-girlfriend was a student who had trouble purchasing airtime.
How much did Vodacom make from Please call me.
Vodacom is believed to have earned over R205 billion (about $10.9 billion) in revenue since the PCM service was launched in 2001. However, the telecom has not revealed the exact amount. Nkosane Makate's net worth is not yet declared.
How much did Nkosana Makate get from Vodacom?
Source: Twitter
No payment has been made to the PCM inventor yet. The case is ongoing as Nkosana and Vodacom seek to find an agreement.
Nkosana Makate's settlement
Judge Wendy Hughes of the Pretoria High Court upheld his case in early February 2022. According to the court, Nkosana will receive five per cent of the micro-text service's total voice revenue from March 2001 through March 2021.
Additionally, the court upheld Makate's right to 27% of the daily PCMs sent as revenue from return calls. The court gave telecom CEO Shameel Joosub one month to determine how much the company owes the PCM creator.
The biggest mobile network operator in the country, Vodacom, is trying to avoid paying what it promised, so it'll be back in the Supreme Court with Makate. As payment for his concept, he demands R29 billion and R63 billion.
Nkosana Makate's contact details
If you wish to contact the PCM inventor, you can do so via his social media accounts. His Twitter handle is @makate_nkosana.
Why did Makate sue Vodacom?
Sixteen years after Nkosana Makate initially initiated court proceedings against Vodacom Group, his former employer, the "please call me" saga finally draws close.
Makate, the guy the constitutional court earlier ruled to have devised the "please call me" SMS callback request service while employed by mobile operator Vodacom, is at the centre of a high-stakes dispute between the two companies. Arguments in their case began on Thursday.
A well-liked cellular service in South Africa, "Please call me" (PCM), lets customers who are low on airtime request that someone with more airtime call them.
Over the past two decades, Nkosana Makate has tenaciously battled Vodacom in the PCM legal struggle. The most recent court decision is a huge relief, and the success of Nkosana Makate's legal team deserves much of the credit.
Briefly.co.za published the story of Hugh Masebenza, a veteran South African actor. He is known for starring on TV's Scandal as Zuko Zondi and for being the face of Savanna Cider.
In February 2022, photos of the actor looking homeless on Pretorian streets started making rounds on social media. A similar narrative emerged in 2015 when the actor was photographed begging on Joburg streets.
Source: Briefly News
Alice Wabwile (Lifestyle writer) Alice Wabwile is a multifaceted content creator and Project Assistant at AfDAN, boasting over four years of experience. Holding a BCom degree from the University of Nairobi School of Business, she has cultivated a dynamic skill set through roles such as her tenure at Strathmore University's Data Science Department, where she contributed significantly to research. Recognized for her exceptional talent, she clinched the Writer of the Year Award. Beyond her professional endeavours, Alice is an engaged member of the Rotaract Club of Kabete. For inquiries, reach out to her at alicenjoro01@gmail.com
Kevin Omuya (Lifestyle writer) Kevin Omuya is a professional content writer with over three years of experience. At Legit.ng, he has contributed to extensive research on various topics such as celebrity news, fashion, and biographies. He has also worked as an editor and content creator at SportsCulture and CottageMed. In 2019, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University. You can reach him through his email: komuya89@gmail.com
