adminEx-Idols judge Gareth Cliff is sueing M-Net R25 million for wrongful dismissal, according to a report. Cliff got axed as a judge on the reality singing competition after a Twitter frenzy over comments related to the Penny Sparrow race debacle. M-Net announced on Friday, January 8,that Cliff will not be part of the judging panel for Idols SA Season 12, which is due to commence with countrywide auditions at the end of January.
According to Cliff’s lawyer M-Net didn’t follow proper procedure during his dismissal, eNCA reported. Eyebrows were also raised over the fact that Cliff’s co-judge, Somizi Mhlongo, did not get the boot after he was involved in a race row just a few weeks before.
“To be fired over this whole mess does seem unfair. M-Net has said as much. They said I’m not a racist,” Cliff said shortly after news first broke that he would no longer be part of the TV show. M-Net has not officially responded to the latest reports.
Meanwhile, the EFF’s Dali Mpofu will represent Gareth Cliff in his R25 million claim against M-Net‚ who fired him because he failed to show “empathy” when he tweeted that former estate agent Penny Sparrow had the right to say what she wanted.
Lawyer Eric Mabuza told Radio 702 that Mpofu had been appointed as the lead attorney in the case. Sparrow tweeted that black people on Durban beaches were like “monkeys”. Cliff subsequently dissociated himself from Sparrow and apologised for his tweet.
But M-Net fired him nonetheless‚ saying he was not a racist but should have demonstrated greater empathy. TMG Digital/RDM
Online Reporter