adminBONGI Silinda was heartbroken when she did not get a cent for being the first runner-up on Idols SA last year. Although she did not confront M-Net, she still does not understand why all the previous first runners-up received prize monies and she did not. The beauty from eMalahleni in Mpumalanga, lost the title to Vincent Bones.
Speaking to Sunday Sun, she said: “I was so disappointed that my hard work wasn’t appreciated. I didn’t understand how a runner-up gets the same prize as the Top 11.
“It really hurt me and my parents that I didn’t get the R100,000 like other previous runners-up.”
When Musa Sukwene won in 2013, the first runner-up, Brenden Ledwaba, and second runner-up, Sonke Mazibuko, both walked away with R100,000 cheques each.
And during Khaya Mthethwa’s reign, runner-up Melissa Allison also got R100,000.
Unlike the others, Bongi took home a Telkom Wi-fi router, a Telkom range extender, a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4.7, 50GB of data and R10,000 worth of fashion from Truworths.
But Bongi said the platform opened many doors for her.
“I’m booked weekly, so I’ve managed to make that money. I’m excited for what’s happening in my life. I’ve recorded music with Afrotraction for my upcoming album,” she said.
M-Net publicity manager, Ingrid Engelbrecht, said the R100,000 prize money was not part of Bongi’s package.
“The Idols SA prize package varies year on year, depending on the sponsors of the show. The prize package for both the winner and the runner-up was communicated publicly on all of the Idols SA official platforms online, as well as on the show itself,” Ingrid said. –DailySun.
Online Reporter