Idols SA Season 12 took place in 2016, the winner was Noma Khumalo and the runner-up was Thami Shobede.
For the first time in seven seasons, Idols SA crowned a female contestant as winner.
The judges were Randall Abrahams, Gareth Cliff, Unathi Nkayi, and Somizi Mhlongo. The season was hosted by ProVerb.
This was Gareth Cliff’s last season as an Idols SA judge after being on the Idols South Africa judging panel for 11 consecutive seasons.
Regrettably, Thami passed away in 2019 after suffering from an illness and complications.
Idols SA Season 12 Season Guide
| Host: | ProVerb |
| Judges: | Randall Abrahams, Gareth Cliff, Unathi Nkayi, and Somizi Mhlongo |
| Winner: | Noma Khumalo |
| Runner-up: | Thami Shobede |
| Grand Finale Venue: | Carnival City, Johannesburg |
| Original Network: | Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161) |
| Start Date: | Sunday 17 July 2016 |
| End Date: | Sunday 27 November 2016 |
List of Contents
Gareth Cliff Firing and Lawsuit
On Friday 8 January 2016, M-Net fired Gareth Cliff from his role as an Idols South Africa judge.
This was a result of Cliff’s comments about a race debate around a white woman, Penny Sparrow.
Responding to questions on whether to criminalize racist posts on social media, Gareth Cliff tweeted: “People really don’t understand free speech at all.”
Gareth’s remarks drew criticism from scores of people on social media with most of them threatening to boycott Idols South Africa, M-Net then reacted by relieving Cliff of his duties on Idols SA.
Gareth responded by taking legal action against M-Net and on Tuesday 26 January 2016, he won a lawsuit against M-Net at the high court in Johannesburg.
The judge ruled in Cliff’s favour and ordered that he be reinstated as a judge on Idols SA.
Read more about Gareth Cliff’s Firing and lawsuit HERE.
Auditions
The Idols SA Season 12 auditions kicked off towards the end of January in Durban and ended at the beginning of March 2016 in Cape Town.
Below is a table showing the audition dates, cities, and venues.
| Audition Date | Audition City | Audition Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 30 January 2016 | Durban | The Playhouse Theatre |
| Saturday 6 February 2016 | Pretoria | The State Theatre |
| Sunday 28 February 2016 | Johannesburg | Carnival City |
| Saturday 5 March 2016 | Cape Town | GrandWest Casino & Entertainment World |
Idols SA Season 12 Top 16
The Idols SA Season 12 Top 16 contestants were revealed on Sunday 28 August 2016.
NOTE: Ages stated at the time of contest on 28 August 2016
| Contestant | Age | Gender | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amanda Kunene | 22 | Female | Durban |
| Bevin Samuels | 19 | Male | Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape |
| Keegan Martin | 23 | Male | Roodepoort, Gauteng |
| Lucia Jakeni | 26 | Female | Vereeniging, Gauteng |
| Lusanda Beja | 25 | Male | Gugulethu, Western Cape |
| Nomalungelo Noxolo Khumalo | 22 | Female | Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal |
| Nontobeko “Luke” Ntombela | 27 | Female | Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal |
| Nosihe Zama Zulu | 28 | Female | Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal |
| Sanele Simphiwe Mkhize | 21 | Male | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Sgherdeed Ross | 28 | Female | Reiger Park, Boksburg |
| Thami Shobede | 28 | Male | Mtubatuba, KwaZulu-Natal |
| Siyakhanya Tshayela | 23 | Female | Vosloorus, East Rand |
| Tebogo Louw | 24 | Male | Stellenbosch, Western Cape |
| Terra Cox | 28 | Male | Eden Park, Alberton |
| Thamsanqa Vuyo Thabile Mathonisi | 20 | Male | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Valentine Mathe | 20 | Female | Mamelodi |
The Top 16 contestants were then separated into two groups, Group One which was made up of only female contestants, and Group Two which was made up of only male contestants.
Group One (Top 8 Females)
Group One contestants performed live on Sunday 4 September 2016 in a bid to book a spot in the Top 10.
Theme: “Hits Of The Last Decade”
Group Performance: Group One (Top 8 Females) performed “Work” by Rihanna Ft. Drake
| Contestant | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Valentine Mathe | “Halo” by Beyoncé | Advanced |
| Lucia Jakeni | “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” by Adele | Advanced |
| Sgherdeed Ross | “Deep In The Bottom (of Africa)” by Monique Bingham & Black Coffee | Eliminated |
| Luke Ntombela | “Yoga” by Janelle Monáe & Jidenna | Eliminated |
| Noma Khumalo | “Stay” by Rihanna Ft. Mikky Ekko | Advanced |
| Siyakha Tshayela | “Valelisa” by Trademark & Zinhle Ngidi | Dismissed |
| Amanda Kunene | “Dangerous Woman” by Ariana Grande | Eliminated |
| Nosihe Zulu | “XO” by Beyoncé | Advanced |
Group Two (Top 8 Males)
Group Two contestants performed live on Sunday 11 September 2016.
Theme: “Hits Of The Last Decade”
Group Performance: Group Two (Top 8 Males) performed “Locked Away” by R. City Ft. Adam Levine
Guest Performer: Mpumi
| Contestant | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Thamsanqa | “Akulalwa” by DJ Shimza Ft. Dr Malinga | Eliminated |
| Sanele Mkhize | “One Call Away” by Charlie Puth | Advanced |
| Bevin Samuels | “Back To Sleep” by Chris Brown | Advanced |
| Lusanda Beja | “Thandiwe” by Vusi Nova | Eliminated |
| Tebogo Louw | “Rainbow” by Black Motion Ft. Xoli M | Advanced |
| Thami Shobede | “Hotline” Bling by Drake | Advanced |
| Terra Cox | “Bad Habits” by Maxwell | Advanced |
| Keegan Martin | “Climax” by Usher | Advanced |
Contestant Dismissal
On Thursday 15 September 2016, Siyakha Tshayela was dismissed from Idols SA Season 12 as a result of a dispute between herself and an independent recording company.
Main Article: Siyakha Tshayela Dismissed From Idols SA Season 12
Idols SA Season 12 Top 10
The Top 10 contestants were revealed on Sunday 18 September 2016.
The Idols SA live results show to reveal the Season 12 Top 10 kicked off on a sombre note when host and executive producer, ProVerb, announced the passing of South African kwaito legend Mandoza.
The man who united Mzansi with his cross-over chart-topping hit, Nkalankatha, succumbed to cancer earlier in the day.
The performances then kicked off with Fifi Cooper and Emtee who performed their hit, “Koze Kuse”.
They were quickly followed by Group One (Top 8 Females) who performed “Freedom” by Beyoncé Ft. Kendrick Lamar.
Idols SA Season 9 winner Musa Sukewne and Afro-pop kingpin Robbie Malinga performed their ballad “Mthande”.
Group Two (Top 8 Males) performed a medley of Prince’s hits including “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry”.
The Ambitiouz Entertainment Crew then stepped onto the Idols SA live stage and kept the tempo up with their energetic fusion of kwaito, hip hop, and gqom, keeping the Pretoria State Theatre lit with “nu skool” fusion.
Black Motion and Dr. Moruti performed their hit song “Heartless Intentions”.
In an ironic but fitting twist in light of a fallen Kwaito giant, the closing performance of the evening featured Mandoza’s compatriots in Kwaito greatness in the form of the 999 Music stablemates Arthur Mafokate, Chomee, and Ishmael.
The Top 10 contestants then performed a week later on Sunday 25 September 2016.
Theme: “Classic R’nB Hits From The ’90s”
| Contestant | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Keegan Martin | “The Impossible Dream” by Luther Vandross | Advanced |
| Lucia Jakeni | “Never Gonna Let You Go” by Faith Evans | Advanced |
| Sanele Mkhize | “I’ll Make Love To You” by Boyz II Men | Eliminated |
| Noma Khumalo | “My Love Is Your Love” by Whitney Houston | Advanced |
| Bevin Samuels | “Angels” by Robbie Williams | Advanced |
| Terra Cox | “Tell Me What You Want Me To Do” by Tevin Campbell | Advanced |
| Nosihe Zulu | “I’m Your Angel” by Céline Dion & R. Kelly | Advanced |
| Tebogo Louw | “Lately” by Jodeci | Advanced |
| Thami Shobede | “Un-Break My Heart” by Toni Braxton | Advanced |
| Valentine Mathe | “I’m Your Baby Tonight” by Whitney Houston | Advanced |
Top 10 Prizes
Just for making it into the Top 10, the finalists were rewarded with a wealth of fabulous prizes valued at over R85,000.
Check out the prizes below;
- Telkom gave them communication freedom with a Huawei P9 cellphone, a Huawei 10-inch video pad, a Huawei router, and a 20 GB FreeMe package all valued at over R20,000.
- To accompany them on their Idols SA journey, Ford South Africa docked them up with a stylish hot shot suitcase while Truworths, South Africa’s leading fashion retailer loaded it with R5,000 worth of fashion.
- They each received R10,000 cash from Mzansi Magic and from Shure, the most trusted audio brand in the world, wireless freedom in the PLX SN 58 microphone system plus a guitar or keyboard to the value of R10,000 from Yamaha.
- To stay on fleek, they also received R4,000 Mizani haircare products and a MAC Cosmetics hamper valued at R22,000.
Idols SA Season 12 Top 9
The Idols SA Season 12 Top 9 contestants were revealed on Sunday 2 October 2016, they then performed live on this same day.
Theme: “Judges’ Choice”
Guest Performers: DJ Mshega and Busi N performed two songs, “Who” and “Get Down”
| Contestant | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Terra Cox | “New Flame” by Chris Brown Ft. Usher & Rick Ross | Advanced |
| Noma Khumalo | “Russian Roulette” by Rihanna | Advanced |
| Tebogo Louw | “Superman” by Black Coffee Ft. Bucie | Advanced |
| Nosihe Zulu | “All of Me” by John Legend | Advanced |
| Bevin Samuels | “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber | Advanced |
| Lucia Jakeni | “Breathe Again” by Toni Braxton | Advanced |
| Keegan Martin | “Kiss It Better” by Rihanna | Advanced |
| Valentine Mathe | “Doesn’t Mean Anything” by Alicia Keys | Eliminated |
| Thami Shobede | “Sobabili” by Kelly Khumalo Ft. Robby Malinga | Advanced |
Idols SA Season 12 Top 8
The Idol SA Season 12 Top 8 contestants were revealed on Sunday 9 October 2016 after which they performed live on this same day.
Group Performance: Top 9 contestants performed “Lean On Me” by Kirk Franklin
Guest Performers: Donald, DreamTeam
| Contestant | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Thami Shobede | “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” by Stevie Wonder | Advanced |
| Bevin Samuels | “I’ll Be There” by Mariah Carey | Advanced |
| Keegan Martin | “Nguwe” by Ntando | Advanced |
| Lucia Jakeni | “Afrika Viva Tau” by Lesego Ft. Jaziel Brothers | Advanced |
| Terra Cox | “Will You Be There” by Michael Jackson | Advanced |
| Noma Khumalo | “Without You” by Mariah Carey | Advanced |
| Tebogo Louw | “The World’s Greatest” by R. Kelly | Advanced |
| Nosihe Zulu | “Ingoma” by Thandiswa Mazwai | Eliminated |
On Friday 14 October 2016, the Top 8 contestants and Gareth Cliff were at East Rand Mall’s Oval Court for a fans’ meet and greet courtesy of Idols SA sponsor Telkom.
Below are some photos from the event.
Idols SA Season 12 Top 7
The Top 7 contestants of Season 12 were revealed on Sunday 16 October 2016, they also performed live on this same day.
Theme: “Showstopper”
Group Performance: Top 8 contestants performed “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child
Guest Performers: Mabala Noise crew including Du Bois, Gigi LaMayne, Nasty C, and Riky Rick
| Contestant | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Noma Khumalo | “Sweet Dreams” by Beyoncé | Advanced |
| Bevin Samuels | “Rock With You” by Michael Jackson | Advanced |
| Keegan Martin | “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)” by Usher | Eliminated |
| Lucia Jakeni | “Destiny” by Malaika | Advanced |
| Terra Cox | “Love on the Brain” by Rihanna | Advanced |
| Thami Shobede | “Closer” by Ne-Yo | Advanced |
| Tebogo Louw | “Treasure” by Bruno Mars | Advanced |
Idols SA Season 12 Top 6
Season 12’s Top 6 contestants were revealed on Sunday 23 October 2016, they then went ahead to perform live.
Theme: “Viewers’ Choices”
| Contestant | First Song | Second Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tebogo Louw | “Intliziyo” by Nathi | “These Arms” by All-4-One | Advanced |
| Lucia Jakeni | “A Couple Of Forevers” by Chrisette Michele | “At Last” by Etta James | Advanced |
| Thami Shobede | “All I Could Do Was Cry” by Etta James | “Sandcastles” by Beyoncé | Advanced |
| Bevin Samuels | “Can We Talk” by Tevin Campbell | “Diamonds” by Rihanna | Eliminated |
| Terra Cox | “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” by Céline Dion | “Alive” by Sia | Advanced |
| Noma Khumalo | “Ngifuna Lo” by Karabo | “Giving Myself” by Jennifer Hudson | Advanced |
Idols SA Season 12 Top 5
The Top 5 contestants of Season 12 were revealed on Sunday 30 October 2016, after which they all performed live.
Themes:
– “How It Should Have Been Done”
– “My Idol”
Guest Performers: Black Coffee, Lira, Zakes Bantwini and J’Something
| Contestant | First Song | Second Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucia Jakeni | “If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time” by R. Kelly | “Phakade” by Lira | Eliminated |
| Thami Shobede | “Hero” by Enrique Iglesias | “I Got You (I Feel Good)” by James Brown | Advanced |
| Noma Khumalo | “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban | “Heaven” by Beyoncé | Advanced |
| Tebogo Louw | “We Found Love” by Ed Sheeran | “Fire On The Mountain” by Asa | Advanced |
| Terra Cox | “Hello” by Adele | “If It’s Over” by Mariah Carey | Advanced |
Idols SA Season 12 Top 4
Season 12’s Top 4 contestants were revealed on Sunday 6 November 2016, they then performed live on this same day.
Themes:
– “Mentor’s Choice”
– “Soul Hits”
Guest Mentors: Simphiwe Dana, Donald, Khaya Mthethwa, and JR
Guest Performer: Amanda Black
| Contestant | First Song | Second Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noma Khumalo | “Ndiredi” by Simphiwe Dana | “The Weakness In Me” by Keisha White | Advanced |
| Tebogo Louw | “So Hot” by JR Ft. Tee Pee | “Her Heart” by Anthony Hamilton | Advanced |
| Thami Shobede | “Over The Moon” by Donald | “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke | Advanced |
| Terra Cox | “How Do You Love” by Khaya Mthethwa & The Uprising | “Sweet Love” by Anita Baker | Eliminated |
New York Trip
Right after their Top 4 performances on Sunday 6 November 2016, the Idols SA Season 12 Top 4 contestants, Terra Cox, Noma Khumalo, Tebogo Louw, and Thami Shobede jetted off to New York for a trip courtesy of Idols South Africa.
They were accompanied by Idols SA presenter, ProVerb, and judge Gareth Cliff.
Main Article: Idols SA Season 12 Top 4 Contestants’ New York Trip
Idols SA Season 12 Top 3
The Idols SA Season 12 Top 3 contestants were revealed on Sunday 13 November 2016, after which they performed live on this same day.
Guest Performers: Shekhinah performed “Your Eyes”
Duets:
– Tebogo Louw and Thami Shobede performed “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” by George Michael and Elton John
– Noma Khumalo and Terra Cox performed “Hurt You” by Toni Braxton and Babyface
| Contestant | First Song | Second Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tebogo Louw | “Lengoma” by Zahara | “You Are Not Alone on Piano” by Michael Jackson | Eliminated |
| Thami Shobede | “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele | “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye | Advanced |
| Noma Khumalo | “As We Lay” by Kelly Price | “Daddy Lessons” by Beyoncé | Advanced |
On Wednesday 16 November 2016, the Top 3 contestants were guests on Vuzu TV’s VEntertainment show at 18:00.
On Friday 18 November 2016, the Top 3 contestants were at ‘Menlyn Mall Pretoria’ from 18:00 to meet their fans.
Idols SA Season 12 Top 2
The Idols SA Season 12 Top 2 contestants were revealed on Sunday 20 November 2016, they also performed live on this same day.
Group Performance: Top 10 contestants ( minus Tebogo, Noma & Thami ) performed “Together Again” by Janet Jackson
Guest Performers: Bucie, The Kalawa Jazmee crew and Mdu Masilela
Top 3 Contestants’ New Singles’ Performances:
– Noma Khumalo performed her new single “Want It To Fell Like It Did With You”
– Thami Shobede sang his new single “Sthandwa”
– Tebogo Louw performed his new single “Do It Again”
Themes:
– “Contestant’s Choice”
– “Contestant’s Seasons Best”
| Contestant | First Song | Second Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noma Khumalo | “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” by Jennifer Hudson | “Stay” by Rihanna Ft. Mikky Ekko | Winner |
| Thami Shobede | “Sorry” by Justin Bieber | “All I Could Do Was Cry” by Etta James | Runner-up |
The Idols SA Season 12 Top 2 Contestants, Thami Shobede and Noma Khumalo attended a Grand Finale press conference organized by Mzansi Magic on Friday 25 November 2016.
Idols SA Season 12 Grand Finale
The Idol SA Season 12 Grand Finale took place on Sunday 27 November 2016 at Carnival City’s Big Top Arena in Johannesburg.
Performances
Duets
– Noma Khumalo and Nathi performed “Nomakanjani” by Nathi Ft. Vusi Nova
– Thami Shobede and Kelly Khumalo performed “Sobabili” by Kelly Khumalo Ft. Robby Malinga
Other Performances
– Top 10 contestants performed “This Is What You Came For” by Calvin Harris Ft. Rihanna
– AKA performed two new singles
– Season 11 winner Karabo Mogane also performed
– Idols SA judge Unathi Nkayi reunited with her Kwaito collaborator Zola to perform
– Top 10 contestants performed “Flawless” by Beyoncé
– Idols SA season 12 Wooden Mic winner, Mbishop Shezi performed an operatic duet that had the crowd at their feet
– Noma Khumalo (accompanied by the reigning winners of Clash of The Choirs) performed “Without You” by Mariah Carey
– Thami Shobede (accompanied by the reigning winners of Clash of The Choirs) performed “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” by Stevie Wonder
– Noma Khumalo (after being announced the winner) performed her new single “Want It To Fell Like It Did With You”
Winner and Runner-up Announcement
Substitute teacher, Noma Khumalo was announced the winner of Idols SA Season 12 with Thami Shobede being the runner-up, after a record vote that saw over 83 million votes cast throughout the entire Season 12.
Season chronology:
« ( Season 11 ) Previous | Next ( Season 13 ) »
ALSO READ:
› Idols SA Winners: Where Are They Now?
› Idols SA Presenters From Season 1 To Date
