Siyakha Tshayela dismissed from Idols SA Season 12
Top 16 contestant, Siyakha Tshayela has been dismissed from Idols SA season 12 as a result of a dispute between herself and an independent recording company.
The rules of this show specifically state that contestants must be able to sign an exclusive contract with a record label identified by Idols SA. This is to ensure that opportunities are given to talent who do not have existing recording contracts.
Siyakha Tshayela had signed the Idols SA agreement on Sunday 28 February 2016.
On Monday 1 August 2016, Siyakha informed the Idols SA producers that she had entered into discussions with an independent recording company before she entered Idols SA, but she maintained there was no contract in place. However the recording company disputed Siyakha’s claims and insisted that it had a contract with her which was in place until 2019.
Siyakha then said she had tried to cancel the contract, but the recording company further disputed this. Discussions were then held with all the affected parties but there was no resolution and due to conditions stipulated by the Idols format rights holder, Idols SA was unable to continue with a contestant that was involved in a legal dispute of this nature.
After her dismissal from the show, Siyakha made an urgent application in the Gauteng High Court on Saturday 17 September 2016 seeking an order that she be reinstated on the show. She asked the court to allow her to participate in the “Top 16” round despite not complying with one of the significant rules of the competition: that she be able to sign an exclusive recording deal with a label identified by Idols SA. Siyakha’s application was heard on Saturday 17 September 2016 at 20:00 and judgment was handed down in favour of the production company of Idols SA and M-Net.
Judge Ismail ruled that Siyakha Tshayela had made a misrepresentation in the agreement she signed with Idols South Africa, and this entitled Idols SA to end her participation. It was very clear that Siyakha is a talented young individual, she was given several months to resolve the issue, but was unable to do so.
