Idols South Africa

Idols South Africa is a singing television competition created by Simon Fuller, it is the South African version of Pop Idol.

The show started airing on 10 March 2002 on M-Net but was later changed to Mzansi Magic.

The show’s premise is to determine the best young South African singer without a signed contract.

The winner is determined by a live vote across South Africa.

Judges

The judges for the show include Marcus Brewster and Penny Lebyane for season one.

Dave Thompson for the first five seasons, Randall Abrahams for the first seventeen seasons, and Marah Louw from seasons two to six.

Gareth Cliff from season two to twelve and Unathi Nkayi from season seven to seventeen.

Somizi Mhlongo from season eleven onwards.

Thembi Seete and JR from season eighteen onwards.

Below is a summary of all the Idols South Africa judges since season 1 in 2002.

Judge NameSeasonsYears
Dave Thompson1, 2, 3, 4, and 52002 – 2009
Marcus Brewster12002
Randall Abrahams1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 172002 – 2021
Penny Lebyane12002
Marah Louw2, 3, 4, 5 and 62003 – 2010
Gareth Cliff2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 122003 – 2016
Unathi Nkayi7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 172011 – 2021
Somizi Mhlongo11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 182015 – Present
Thembi Seete182022 –
JR Bogopa182022 –

Presenters

The show was co-hosted by Candy Litchfield and Matthew Stewardson for the first half of season 1.

Midway through season 1, Matthew Stewardson was fired and replaced by Sami Sabiti who co-hosted the remainder of season 1 with Litchfield.

Colin Moss and Letoya Makhene co-hosted season 2.

Colin Moss hosted season 3 and season 4 alone.

Liezel van der Westhuizen hosted season 5 alone and co-hosted season 6 with ProVerb.

ProVerb has hosted every season since season 7.

Below is a table summarizing all the Idols South Africa presenters since season 1 in 2002.

Presenter NameSeasonsYears
Candy Litchfield12002
Matthew Stewardson12002
Sami Sabiti12002
Letoya Makhene22003
Colin Moss2, 3, 42003 – 2007
Liezel van der Westhuizen5, 62009 – 2010
ProVerb6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 182010 – Present

Season 1

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 1

Judges and host

Top 11

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerHeinz Winckler24Stellenbosch
Runner-upBrendon October25Johannesburg
3rdMelanie Lowe26Vredehoek
4thBianca Le Grange20Johannesburg
5thAyanda Nhlangothi19Durban
6thEzra Lingeveldt21Sea Point
7thCindy Bester19East London
8thLyndle Kearns17Rocklands
9thRian Swanepoel20Hatfield
10thNicole Billingham23Ferndale
11thDavid Fourie21Bloemfontein

Season 2

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 2

Judges and host

Top 12

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerAnke Pietrangeli19Kimberley
Runner-upPoseletso Sejosingoe18Lotus River
3rdJacques Terre’Blanche20Tamboerskloof, Cape Town
4thNazneen Leeman17Belgravia, Cape Town
5thWafeeq Saffodien17Mountview, Lansdowne
6thKgomotso Tsatsi16Observatory Ext.
7thKaren Ferreira18Centurion, Pretoria
8thZama Sithole19Vosloosrus
9thPetro De Villiers20Centurion, Pretoria
10thThelma Jansen19George, Western Cape
11thKhwezi Kekana19Diepkloof
12thNoluthando Meje19Tamboerskloof, Cape Town

Season 3

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 3

Judges and host

Top 12

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerKarin Kortje26Grabouw, Cape Town
Runner-upGift Gwe21Bishop, Mossel Bay
3rdVeronique “Nicky” de Lange17Bloemfontein
4thVeronique “V” Lalouette23Randpark Ridge, Johannesburg
5thNhlanhla Mwelase22Springs, Gauteng
6thAyanda Mpama21Seaview, KwaZulu-Natal
7thDeidré Visser17Centurion, Pretoria
8thMartelize Van Niekerk19Kuilsrivier
9thKesha Charlton-Perkins18Randburg, Johannesburg
10thPume Zondi19Wybank, Pinetown
11thBonolo Molosiwa24Randpark Ridge, Johannesburg
12thJamie-Lee Blokdyk19Magaliesburg

Season 4

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 4

Judges and host

Top 10

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerJody Williams17Cape Town
Runner-upAndriëtte Norman20Brackenfell
3rdMunro du Toit26Cape Town
4thTender Mavundla25Port Shepstone
5thDaniel Büys22Bryanston
6thBjörn Blignaut26Radiokop
7thCarla Louw20Pretoria
8thYolanda Nabo27Johannesburg
9thCaroline Barole23Gauteng
10thDominic Momberg20KwaZulu-Natal

Season 5

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 5

Judges and host

Top 10

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerJason Hartman29Durban
WinnerSasha-Lee Davis18Cape Town
3rdGraeme Watkins26Cape Town
4thLendel Moonsamy23Durban
5thSithembiso Nkosi19Johannesburg
6thCameron Bruce17Johannesburg
7thPixie Bennett24Durban
8thLize Heerman21Durban
9thDaniel Barron17Johannesburg
10thNtsepa Pitjeng26Johannesburg

Season 6

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 6

Judges and host

Top 10

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerElvis Blue30George
Runner-upLloyd Cele28Durban
3rdSindi Nene22Durban
4thBoki Ntsime21Johannesburg
5thAdeline Mocke22Cape Town
6thPieter West25Free State
7thJess Yallup22Durban
8thJamie-Lee Sexton22Johannesburg
9thBongi Mthombeni23Johannesburg
10thGail Nkoane25Kimberley

Season 7

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 7

Judges and host

Top 10

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerDave van Vuuren21Johannesburg
Runner-upMark Haze28Cape Town
3rdCrushanda Forbes23Cape Town
4thFreddie Van’Dango22Johannesburg
5thLefa Pike29Kimberly
6thKelly Fortuin21Cape Town
7thErin Fourie27Hilton
8thDene Vorster16Roodepoort
9thPhaksy Mngomezulu20Empangeni
10thNoluthando Meje24Cape Town

Season 8

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 8

Judges and host

Top 10

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerKhaya Mthethwa25Durban
Runner-upMelissa Alison23Port Elizabeth
3rdMonde Msutwana30Witbank
4thTshidi Tenyane28Thokoza
5thSimphiwe Gwegwe23Port Nolloth
6thShekhinah Donnell17Durban
7thDominic Neill20Johannesburg
8thChloë Kiley24Cape Town
9thNosipho Mngomezulu22Brakpan
10thObakeng Ramaboa26Munsieville

Season 9

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 9

Judges and host

Top 16

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerMusa Sukwene26Mpumalanga
Runner-upBrenden Ledwaba19Mpumalanga
3rdSonke Mazibuko21Soweto
4thZoë Zana19Cape Town
5thBunny Majaja26Johannesburg
6thCrystalene Nair24Durban
7thChristina Williams21Port Elizabeth
8thInnocent Mabushe27Limpopo
9thBenjamin Tainton19Cape Town
10thTumi Lesejane21Midrand
11thJono Johansen16Durban
12thLee-Ron Malgas18Cape Town
13thPhilip Dube20Johannesburg
14thCarlé van Deventer30Johannesburg
15thTauna Collier26Cape Town
16thAmy Jones20Cape Town

Season 10

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 10

Judges and host

Top 16

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerVincent Bones29Pietermaritzburg
Runner-upBongi Silinda23Nelspruit
3rdLize Mynhardt21Stellenbosch
4thLondon Louw24Mafikeng
5thKyle Deutschmann26Durban
6thMusa Mashiane27eMalahleni
7thDemi Lee Moore24Durbanville
8thTumi Morobane20Vosloorus
9thRoxy Mc Vean19Cape Town
10thVincent Verhoog25Durban
11thIvan Roux24Centurion
12thRowan de Villiers23Durbanville
13thOlivia Cloud16Hyde Park
14thChante Geary20eMalahleni
15thCeline Homan17Gordon’s Bay
16thMirandi Smith26Rustenburg

Season 11

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 11

Judges and host

Top 16

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerKarabo Mogane24Nelspruit
Runner-upMmatema Moremi23Pretoria
3rdRhema Varrie21Alberton
4thSiphelele Ngcobo24Durban
5thLoyiso Gijana16Uitenhage
6thDineo Moseki21Vryburg
7thAmanda Antony22Port Elizabeth
8thLungisa Xhamela24Langa, Cape Town
9thElwira Standili22Worcester
10thNadia Herbst20Paarl
11thShenay O’Brien25Johannesburg
12thBridgitt Leahy18Creighton
13thNina Terblanche17Nelspruit
14thRuan Grobbelaar24Somerset West
15thThami Shobede27Johannesburg
16thPhila Madlingozi25Johannesburg

Season 12

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 12

Judges and host

Top 16

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerNoma Khumalo22Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal
Runner-upThami Shobede28Mtubatuba, KwaZulu-Natal
3rdTebogo Louw24Stellenbosch, Western Cape
4thTerra Cox28Eden Park, Alberton
5thLucia Jakeni26Vereeniging, Gauteng
6thBevin Samuels19Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape
7thKeegan Martin23Roodepoort, Gauteng
8thNosihe Zulu28Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal
9thValentine Mathe20Mamelodi
10thSanele Simphiwe Mkhize21KwaZulu-Natal
11thLusanda Beja25Gugulethu, Western Cape
12thThamsanqa Vuyo Thabile Mathonisi20KwaZulu-Natal
13thAmanda Kunene22Durban
14thNontobeko “Luke” Ntombela27Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal
15thSgherdeed Ross28Reiger Park, Boksburg
16thSiyakhanya Tshayela23Vosloorus, East Rand

Season 13

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 13

Judges and host

Top 16

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerPaxton Fielies16Cape Town
Runner-upMthokozisi Ndaba25Durban
3rdBotlhale Phora21Ga-Rankuwa
4thPhindile Dube19Durban
5thFaith Msibi25Witbank
6thLindokuhle Sithole21Mandeni
7thChristo Daniels21Port Elizabeth
8thNomthandazo “Tee” Xaba18Durban
9thThapelo Esau19Vosloorus
10thThokozile Ndimande27Pretoria
11thMinenhle Ntuli22KwaZulu-Natal
12thNokuthula “Hadassah” Makhoba23Pretoria
13thGabi Du Plessis16Cape Town
14thBasetsana Kolwane19Klerksdorp
15thGugulethu Zulu24Durban
16thBlessed Mlangeni23Nelspruit

Season 14

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 14

Judges and host

Top 16

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerYanga Sobetwa18Delft, Cape Town
Runner-upThato Makape23Postmasburg, Northern Cape
3rdThando Mngomezulu19Alberton, Gauteng
4thBasimane Melato “King B”20Kagiso
5thNiyaaz Arendse22Cape Town
6thNosipho Silinda17Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal
7thZamagambu Memela “Xae”19Pinetown, Durban
8thLincoln Lewis22Ravensmead, Cape Flats
9thNtokozo Makhathini18Witbank
10thMthokozisi Ngcobo20Umlazi, Durban
11thDalene Swartz21Eldorado Park, Johannesburg
12thLethabo Ramatsui “Wattahmelon”18Atteridgeville, Pretoria
13thBongiwe Mdaka23Melelani, Mpumalanga
14thSandile Skosana26Tsakane, Ekurhuleni
15thMnqobi Dlamini21Piet Retief
16thVictor Matalane25Riba Cross, Limpopo

Season 15

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 15

Judges and host

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
Winner
Runner-up
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th

Season 16

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 16

Judges and host

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
Winner
Runner-up
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th

Season 17

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 17

Judges and host

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
Winner
Runner-up
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th

Season 18

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 18

Judges and host

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
Winner
Runner-up
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th

Season 19

Main article: Idols South Africa Season 19

Idols SA Season 19 aired in 2023 and was the last season of Idols South Africa.

The show premiered on Saturday 8 July and ended on Saturday 4 November 2023.

Judges and host

The judges of Idols SA Season 19 were Somizi Mhlongo, Thembi Seete, and JR Bogopa.

The host was ProVerb.

Finalists (Top 12)

The Idols SA Season 19 Top 12 contestants were revealed in episode 6 on Saturday 12 August 2023.

PlaceContestantAgeHometown
WinnerThabo Ndlovu26EMalahleni, Mpumalanga
Runner-upPrincess MacDonald24Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga
3rdFaith Nakana26Lebowakgomo, Limpopo
4thNkosi King Teresa29Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
5thNiikiey Kubheka18Vosloorus, Gauteng
6thEnvic Booysen25Cape Town, Western Cape
7thThando Mdluli22Orange Farm, Gauteng
8thSena Mkhwanazi28Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
9thLungelo Motaung28Johannesburg, Gauteng
10thLungile Mthethwa24Benoni, Gauteng
11thSipho Manana18Johannesburg, Gauteng
12thNeve Arnolds22Stellenbosch, Western Cape

Idols SA Winners

Below is a list of all Idols South Africa winners from seasons 1 to 19.

  • Season 1 (2002): Heinz Winckler
  • Season 2 (2003): Anke Pietrangeli
  • Season 3 (2005): Karin Kortje
  • Season 4 (2007): Jody Williams
  • Season 5 (2009): Sasha-Lee Davids and Jason Hartman
  • Season 6 (2010): Elvis Blue
  • Season 7 (2011): Dave van Vuuren
  • Season 8 (2012): Khaya Mthethwa
  • Season 9 (2013): Musa Sukwene
  • Season 10 (2014): Vincent Bones
  • Season 11 (2015): Karabo Mogane
  • Season 12 (2016): Noma Khumalo
  • Season 13 (2017): Paxton Fielies
  • Season 14 (2018): Yanga Sobetwa
  • Season 15 (2019): Luyolo Yiba
  • Season 16 (2020): Zama Khumalo
  • Season 17 (2021): Berry Trytsman
  • Season 18 (2022): Thapelo Molomo
  • Season 19 (2023): Thabo Ndlovu

Idols SA Runner-ups

Below is a list of all South African Idols runner-ups from seasons 1 to 19.

  • Season 1 (2002): Brendon October
  • Season 2 (2003): Poseletso Sejosingoe
  • Season 3 (2005): Gift Gwe
  • Season 4 (2007): Andriëtte Norman
  • Season 5 (2009): N/A
  • Season 6 (2010): Lloyd Cele
  • Season 7 (2011): Mark Haze
  • Season 8 (2012): Melissa Allison
  • Season 9 (2013): Brenden Ledwaba
  • Season 10 (2014): Bongi Silinda
  • Season 11 (2015): Mmatema Moremi
  • Season 12 (2016): Thami Shobede
  • Season 13 (2017): Mthokozisi Ndaba
  • Season 14 (2018): Thato Makape
  • Season 15 (2019): Sneziey Msomi
  • Season 16 (2020): Mr Music
  • Season 17 (2021): Karabo Mathe
  • Season 18 (2022): Nozi Sibiya
  • Season 19 (2023): Princess MacDonald

Idols SA Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns Idols South Africa?

FremantleMedia, a company based in Britain, is Idols South Africa’s format holder. Gavin Wratten and his fellow producers of Idols SA normally deal with British producers because that is where FremantleMedia is based.

Who started Idols South Africa?

Idols South Africa was started by British artist manager, entrepreneur, and film and television producer, Simon Fuller.

What does the winner of Idols SA get?

The winner of Idols SA gets a cash prize, a recording deal, musical equipment from Yamaha, and a fashion voucher from Truworths.

How much does the winner of Idols SA get?

The winner of Idols SA gets a cash prize that ranges between R1 million and R2 million.

ALSO READ:

› Idols SA Winners: Where Are They Now?

› Idols SA Presenters From Season 1 To Date

› Idols SA Viewership

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