M-Net studying court judgement
Pay TV channel M-Net said on Friday it was studying the South Gauteng High Court ruling instructing the company to reinstate media personality Gareth Cliff as a judge on Idols.
“We are currently studying the court judgement, a detailed statement will be issued soon,” said spokeswoman Nondumiso Mabece.
Earlier, Judge Caroline Nicholls ruled that a contract existed between M-Net and Cliff and instructed the pay channel to reinstate him on an interim basis.
M-Net had argued in court that it did not have a contract with Cliff as nothing was finalised. M-Net’s legal representative, Wim Trengove SC, argued that although M-Net did not believe Cliff was a racist, it contended that his tweet elicited massive response and had created an impression that he was racist.
Cliff had become a poster boy for racism, he told the court.
Advocate Dali Mpofu, for Cliff, argued that a contract existed between his client and M-Net, and that Cliff was discriminated against by the company because he is white.
The pay TV channel terminated Cliff’s employment after he posted a comment on social media, which suggested that former estate agent Penny Sparrow’s racist rant constituted freedom of speech. Sparrow had earlier posted a comment on social media calling black people on Durban’s beaches “monkeys”.
Cliff filed an urgent application on January 19 following his sacking. He wanted the court to halt the 2016 Idols SA auditions until he is reinstated or compensated R25 million for defamation and unlawful dismissal.
Cliff and his legal team would hold a media briefing on Saturday on the way forward for the media personality. Idols pre-auditions start in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday.
ANA
File photo: Gallo Images