Summary of M-Net and Idols South Africa’s response to Gareth Cliff
22 January 2016
M-Net and its producer of Idols South Africa have submitted their answering affidavit opposing Gareth Cliff’s urgent application for his reinstatement as an Idols SA judge, his attempt to prevent auditions continuing without his involvement as a judge, and his request to prevent M-Net from making statements about Cliff that infringe his rights.
A full copy of the affidavit is available on the M-Net Corporate website: www.mnetcorporate.co.za (see here – PDF and annexures here – PDF).
The following is a summary of our position:
– Cliff’s tweet on 4 January 2016 saying people do not understand free speech, was posted only days after Penny Sparrow’s tweet and in the middle of a furious and intensifying debate on racism in South Africa. Whether intended or not, the tweet was widely perceived to be in defence of Sparrow’s right to make racist and derogatory statements.