GARETH CLIFF SUES M-NET FOR R25M OVER AXING FROM IDOLS
Advocate Dali Mpofu is preparing court papers
AXED Idols SA judge Gareth Cliff is not giving up without a fight after being sacked from the popular singing contest for weighing in on a recent racial debate.
Yesterday, Cliff ’s lawyer Eric Mabuza confirmed that he had sued broadcaster M-Net for R25 million for not reinstating his client. He said they had filed court papers in the high court in Joburg.
The lawsuit will include wrongful dismissal as well as defamation of character.
The DJ and president of online radio station Cliff Central also wants to be reinstated on the Idols SA judging panel.
Filming for season 12 of the competition is expected to get under way at the end of the month.
Mabuza had earlier said that “Advocate Dali Mpofu is preparing the court papers.”
“Mr Cliff wants his job back as auditions for Idols SA are starting on January 29,” Mabuza said, adding that if M-Net did not concede to this, Cliff intended to stop auditions from taking place by taking the broadcaster to court.
Mabuza said a letter of demand was sent to M-Net on Friday, stating that they should reinstate Cliff as a judge on the Idols SA panel. “M-Net had until 2pm today (Monday) to announce a decision to do so, or the court papers will be served.”
The broadcaster announced earlier this month that Cliff was fired from Idols SA after he got involved in the Penny Sparrow debacle. In a Facebook post that sparked monumental social media outrage, the former estate agent referred to black people as “monkeys”.
Cliff then weighed in on the controversy at the time, tweeting that “People really don’t understand free speech at all”.
Following widespread criticism, Cliff has since taken to his blog to say his comments were misconstrued and that he never intended to be racist.
“My response on Twitter was not to Penny Sparrow, but to a tweet about a survey on freedom of speech which spiralled out of control. Instead of engagement and reviewing the context, the ANCYL (my ANC!) tweet out with a call to march on DStv until they remove me,” Cliff wrote on the blog.
Mabuza said M-Net had fired Cliff without a proper hearing and neglected to hear his side of the story. “They didn’t take appropriate steps to hear his side of the story.”
Cliff and M-Net were trending on Twitter yesterday, with mixed reactions about Cliff ’s decision to sue the broadcaster. Some came to his defence and supported his decision. @BlackGem525 tweeted: “I really hope Gareth Cliff wins his suit, what they did to him was a disgrace. Free speech is an endangered species in this country.”
@MalulekeBernard said: “Gareth Cliff is a big spoiled brat with racist tendencies and he must never be reinstated.”
M-Net chief executive Yolisa Phahle said the broadcaster had received Cliff ’s letter of demand but could not yet comment.