Latest news with #R47
The Citizen
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: Child drug video: 4 charged
Here's your daily news update for Thursday, 31 July 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. News today includes four suspects appeared in the Johannesburg Regional Court on Thursday, facing charges of child abuse and attempted murder after a viral video showed a four-year-old boy being encouraged to smoke drugs. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has dismissed former president Jacob Zuma and the MK party's urgent application to invalidate President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to place Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu on a leave of absence, appoint Wits law professor Firoz Cachalia as acting police minister and establish a commission of inquiry. Furthermore, the South African Reserve Bank decided to cut the repo rate, as economists expected, although the governor started his speech with a reference to the uncertain global economic conditions. The decision was unanimous to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points. Weather tomorrow: 1 August 2025 Damaging winds and waves are forecast over parts of the Northern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, while most inland provinces can expect fine and cool conditions. Isolated showers are likely in parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. Four suspects face attempted murder charges after viral child drug video Four suspects appeared in the Johannesburg Regional Court on Thursday, facing charges of child abuse and attempted murder after a viral video showed a four-year-old boy being encouraged to smoke drugs. The state added the attempted murder charge on Thursday, arguing that exposing the child to dangerous substances could have been fatal. Westbury resident and her friends after appearing at Johannesburg Magistrates court , 31 July 2025, for child abuse after a social media video showing a young boy smoking a bottleneck which her mother and three others are appearing in court for child abuse. This after a video on social media showed them encouraging a young boy to smoke from a bottleneck. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/ The Citizen The mother of the child and three other suspects, were arrested following community outcry over the disturbing footage. CONTINUE READING: Four suspects face attempted murder charges after viral child drug video Vodacom scores ConCourt win over Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate The Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has ruled in favour of Vodacom, sending the legal battle with Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate back to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). The judgment, delivered on Thursday, relates to Vodacom's application for leave to appeal against a February 2024 SCA ruling. A closed Vodacom outlet at the Sandton City Mall during a protest in support of Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate on 31 January 2019. Picture: Gallo Images / Thulani Mbele The appeal, heard by the ConCourt last November, challenged the SCA's decision to overturn Vodacom's offer of R47 million in compensation to Makate, who developed the Please Call Me service that allows network users to send free callback messages. CONTINUE READING: Vodacom scores ConCourt win over Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate MK party and Zuma suffer blow as ConCourt rules in Ramaphosa's favour [VIDEO] The Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has dismissed former president Jacob Zuma and the MK party's urgent application to invalidate President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to place Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu on a leave of absence, appoint Wits law professor Firoz Cachalia as acting police minister and establish a commission of inquiry. The court ruling was handed down two hours after it hosted a special ceremonial sitting for retiring Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, whom Ramaphosa appointed to chair a commission to probe explosive allegations by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) top cop Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanzi of criminal infiltration in the South African justice system. President Cyril Ramapaphosa: Image: GCIS It has ruled that the application does not engage the court's jurisdiction and has refused direct access to the MK party and Zuma in its matter against Ramaphosa. CONTINUE READING: MK party and Zuma suffer blow as ConCourt rules in Ramaphosa's favour [VIDEO] Mashatile fined for failing to declare diamond gift from Louis Liebenberg Deputy President Paul Mashatile has been found guilty by Parliament's ethics committee for failing to declare a diamond gift received by his wife, Humile Mashatile, from controversial businessman Louis Liebenberg. Mashatile has also been in the spotlight due to his high-end lifestyle, luxury properties, and associations with corruption-accused individuals such as Edwin Sodi. Picture: iStock According to the deputy president's office, the diamond was undergoing verification to determine its authenticity and would be declared once the verification process was complete. CONTINUE READING: Mashatile fined for failing to declare diamond gift from Louis Liebenberg Reserve Bank cuts repo rate despite US Fed decision The South African Reserve Bank decided to cut the repo rate, as economists expected, although the governor started his speech with a reference to the uncertain global economic conditions. The decision was unanimous to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points. Lesetja Kganyago, governor of the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb), also confirmed that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Sarb will now prefer the inflation rate to settle at 3% as it wants to move away from the current inflation target band of 3% to 6%. Picture: iStock The MPC decided to cut the repo rate despite the US Fed not cutting interest rates in the US on Wednesday. The committee usually follows the Fed in deciding to change the repo rate. CONTINUE READING: Reserve Bank cuts repo rate despite US Fed decision Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Mom arrested for 'smoking' toddler | R147m police inquiry | half a million whites leave SA
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Eyewitness News
11 hours ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
[WATCH] 'Please call me' inventor's case heads back to supreme court
After nearly 20 years of legal battles, Nkosana Makate is demanding compensation from Vodacom for the 'Please call me' product, with the company offering R47 million, while he maintains he is entitled to billions. Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga handed down a scathing judgment against the supreme court ruling that it made several errors in its ruling that ultimately favoured Makate. The Constitutional Court has referred the matter back to the supreme court, but ordered that it be heard before a different panel.
Eyewitness News
15 hours ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Despite ConCourt setback, 'Please call me' inventor Makate still resilient in battle with Vodacom
JOHANNESBURG - 'Please call me' inventor, Nkosana Makate, said he remains resilient despite a Constitutional Court setback in his long-running battle with Vodacom. Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga handed down a judgment on Thursday, which set aside a supreme court ruling in Makate's favour and referred the matter back to be heard by a different panel. READ: ConCourt grants Vodacom leave to appeal Supreme Court judgement in Nkosana Makate's favour After nearly 20 years of legal battles, Makate is demanding compensation from Vodacom for the 'Please call me' product, with the company offering R47 million, while he maintains he is entitled to billions. Justice Madlanga handed down a scathing judgment against the supreme court ruling that it made several errors in its ruling that ultimately favoured Makate. The Constitutional Court has referred the matter back to the supreme court, but ordered that it be heard before a different panel. However, Makate believes the apex court could have come to a conclusive finding on Thursday. "The CC could have finalised the matter. I mean, we still had a hearing in the high court, which they could have gone to as well and ignored the SCA completely." But Makate is ready to head back to the supreme court in line with Madlanga's judgment. "We will go to the SCA, it must provide us with a judgment that will stand the test." Makate said he remains confident that he will be able to convince the SCA to award him billions for his brainchild, the 'Please call me' product.
IOL News
16 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Nkosana Makate's ongoing fight for justice in the Please Call Me case: Constitutional Court's latest ruling
Nkosana Makate suffered yet another setback in his claim against Vodacom for his please-call-me invention when the Constitutional Court remitted the matter back to the SCA. Image: File Nearly two decades of struggling to receive compensation for his Please Call Me (PCM) invention, and yet there is no end in sight for Nkosana Makate, as the Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled that the matter must be reconsidered by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). Following a legal battle of more than 18 years, Makate is ready to fight on. Following the latest ruling by the apex court, Makate said the SCA must once again hear the matter and make a new finding. Acting Deputy Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga said the SCA failed to deal with all the matters that were presented before it during the appeal. 'The jurisdiction of the court is confined to constitutional issues. In this judgment, we dealt with factual issues, without deciding them, purely to demonstrate the SCA's failure to comply with the duty of proper consideration,' Judge Madlanga said. He added that the Constitutional Court cannot suddenly determine the factual issues. 'The matter must be remitted to the Supreme Court of Appeal for a proper determination of the appeal, and it must be heard by a differently constituted panel.' In a unanimous judgment, the judgment penned by Judge Madlanga before he retired on Thursday, the court found that the SCA had committed several errors in assessing Vodacom's appeal against a previous high court decision. The high court initially ordered Vodacom to pay Makate between 5% and 7.5% of the revenue generated from Please Call Me over 18 years. Makate has been fighting for what he said is fair compensation for his invention, which he believes should be at least R10 billion. Vodacom, on the other hand, estimated a fair compensation at around R50 million. Although he has received yet another setback, Makate said he is confident that he can convince the SCA to recognise his entitlement to billions of rand for his Please Call Me concept. Makate has consistently maintained that his intellectual property was unfairly taken and that he deserves fair compensation. 'I believe I still have a strong case. I am hopeful that the SCA will see the justice in my claim and order Vodacom to pay me what I am owed for my invention,' he said. The Constitutional Court in April 2016 declared that Vodacom is bound by the agreement concluded with Makate and ordered it to commence negotiations in good faith with Makate for determining a reasonable compensation payable to him in terms of the agreement. The CEO accordingly awarded Makate compensation for his product in the amount of R47 million. Dissatisfied, Makate instituted review proceedings in the high court against the amount of compensation. The high court found in favour of Makate but remitted the determination of the amount of compensation back to the CEO. This order was coupled with certain directives that the CEO was required to follow in his redetermination. The parties resumed the negotiations, but there was no fruitful outcome. Makate at one stage made a settlement proposal of R20 billion. The figure was determined based on a formula multiplying the effective rate per minute, PCM minutes of use, and the returned call conversion rate. Vodacom presented a counteroffer of R10 million. These final negotiations failed. Vodacom, meanwhile, turned to the SCA to appeal the high court's order that Makate should receive more compensation. The SCA subsequently rejected the appeal and ordered Vodacom to compensate Makate between 5% and 7.5% of the revenue generated from the invention. Vodacom ultimately turned to the Constitutional Court as it said the SCA did not properly determine the issues before it. Judge Madlanga found that the SCA breached its duty of properly considering all the facts, such as, for example, whether the R47 million offer by Vodacom was not unjust. He also said the SCA disregarded certain issues and merely highlighted the parties' arguments, but it did not engage with the evidence before it. Therefore, the judge said, the matter must be reconsidered by the SCA.
The Citizen
17 hours ago
- Business
- The Citizen
‘I am still resilient': Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate unfazed by Vodacom's ConCourt victory
The former Vodacom employee had hoped the ConCourt would bring the legal battle to a close. Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate says he had anticipated a different outcome after the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) ordered that his nearly two-decade legal battle with Vodacom be returned to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) for reconsideration. On Thursday, the ConCourt sided with Vodacom in its application for leave to appeal against the February 2024 SCA ruling. That judgment had set aside Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub's compensation offer of R47 million to Makate, which he rejected in 2019. Instead, the SCA ruled that Makate was entitled to between 5% and 7.5% — plus interest — of the total revenue Vodacom had generated from the Please Call Me service since its inception in 2001. Vodacom subsequently brought the matter before the ConCourt for appeal, which was heard in November last year. Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate reacts to ConCourt The ConCourt ruled on Thursday that the case be sent back to the SCA for reconsideration by a new panel of judges. Outgoing Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga explained that the appellate court's handling of critical issues in the matter amounted to 'a total failure of justice'. Speaking after the court ruling on Thursday, Makate said he expected a different decision. 'We have to abide with the court's decision, and we are going back to the SCA because they [ConCourt] have said that the SCA must apply themselves properly,' he said. ALSO READ: Vodacom scores ConCourt win over Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate When asked if he felt disappointed by the outcome, the former Vodacom employee said he believed the ConCourt would finally resolve the legal battle. 'I mean, we still had a hearing at the [Pretoria] High Court, which they could have gone to as well, and they've ignored the SCA completely [but] they are at large to do that.' Still, Makate expressed confidence that his legal team could convince the SCA to award the R9.4 billion in compensation he is seeking. 'I am still resilient, and I will forever be. We will go to the SCA and the SCA must now look at the case and provide us with a judgment that will stand the test.' The Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga delivers his final judgment in the matter Vodacom vs Makate.#JusticeMadlanga#Judiciary #Farewell — RSAJudiciary (@OCJ_RSA) July 31, 2025 Commenting on the ConCourt's criticism of the SCA, Makate said: 'The court has not decided on anything that the SCA has done except for them not to express themselves, on certain things that were before the SCA. So clearly, they just need to adjust themselves to those.' He added that the cross-appeal issue would be addressed in response to Vodacom's claim that the SCA overstepped by replacing the high court's order without one. 'We'll also address the issue of the cross appeal, which they want us to do, and we'll do that. We will do what we have to do,' he said. Makate vs Vodacom legal battle This marks the second time the Please Call Me matter has reached the ConCourt. In 2016, the apex court ruled that Makate was legally entitled to compensation from Vodacom and directed the parties to negotiate a 'reasonable' settlement. However, those negotiations again collapsed, triggering a fresh legal tussle. The case was eventually referred to Joosub, who determined that R47 million was a fair amount, before Makate challenged the offer in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. NOW READ: 'Please Call Me': Does your boss own your Intellectual Property?
