ANCYL calls Gareth Cliff a madman

Polokwane - The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in Limpopo is calling for the organisers of M-Net's talent search programme Idols to remove the show's judge, Gareth Cliff.

This follows weekend media reports that Cliff, also a 5FM DJ, labelled Limpopo youth as talentless.

"The people in Polokwane are charming, but not talented. There is one person from 'Poloks' among the finalists, all that driving and stuff - never again," Cliff was quoted as saying, following the Idols auditions that were held in Polokwane in February.

"The organisers of the event must distance themselves from Mr Cliff's madness and release him from the panel of judges. The youth must not be defocused and demoralised by Mr Cliff and others like him," said ANCYL provincial secretary Jacob Lebogo.

"The future of young aspiring artists lies in the lazy hands of a madman."

Leading actors

Lebogo said that what started out as a good initiative to expose talented young people in Limpopo was losing credibility "due to the rants of one discriminating lunatic".

He argued that people from Limpopo excelled in all fields.

"We have produced the legendary Noria Mabasa, Colbert Sokwebo, Selaelo Selota, Peter Teanett, Paul Ndlovu, Judith Sephuma and Mohlagase, among many," said Lebogo.

He said South Africa's leading actors were from Limpopo and that the world’s gold medallist middle-distance runner Caster Semenya came from the province.

Without response

"The sitting Miss South Africa is from Limpopo. The greatest footballers of this country were groomed on the dusty sports fields of Limpopo. We have produced award-winning DJs," he said.

Attempts to get comment from the organisers of Idols SA were unsuccessful on Wednesday as calls to M-Net were transferred from one office to the other without a response.

When contacted for comment, a 5FM employee who declined to give his name, refused to provide African Eye News Service with Cliff's contact numbers.