Racial harmony dayIt was not the first time that the show had been caught up in a row over racism; in 2003 Francisca Blasich withdrew from the final 12 also accusing the show of “blatant racism”. However, Cele says as much as he would like to see a black winner in the popular reality show, he does not think race should be a criteria by which people vote or judge. “Talent and music ability should be the main features. For me honestly, it does not matter whether a white, Indian or coloured contestant wins the competition,” he said. According to Cele Idols is a platform for anyone who wants to make it in the music industry despite what the voting polls say at the end of the competition.
I did not win, but here I am, working hard to make sure that I’m not one of those idols who are here now, gone tomorrow,” he said. Cele commended the decision by M-Net to expand Idols to Mzansi Magic which caters mostly for DStv Compact subscribers. “I do not know whether it will affect voting but I think it was a good move for them to reach a broader market,” he said. Arthur Goldstuck, a media expert from World Wide Worx said it would only be clear later in the Idols season whether the decision to expand the show to Mzansi would affect voting patterns. “One can certainly say that M-Net has, for a while now, wrestled with the race issue and I think this is quite a creative way to try and bridge the race barrier,” he said. - Sunday Independent
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