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Idols judge in South Africa gets job back after tweet uproar

JOHANNESBURG – A comment by a judge in South Africa’s “Idols” television show stirred a national conversation, and it had nothing to do with music.

South African television network M-Net dropped Gareth Cliff from its judging panel for the reality singing competition after a tweet that some South Africans thought was racist. Cliff, who said his tweet was not racist and was instead a defence of free speech, then won a court case against M-Net and was reinstated on Idols South Africa.

Cliff, who is white, said Saturday that South Africa, which emerged from white minority rule in 1994, should continue a civil discussion about race.

The judge on the 12th season of South Africa’s version of the international franchise said: “The show will go on.”

Auditions are currently underway.

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