Khaya Mthethwa is the first black winner of South African Idol. After seven seasons of the show, there has never been a black winner. Raised by pastors, Mthethwa was always surrounded by strangers and church. His family started their practice in their living room and often took in people who needed a place to stay. Although his parents were encouraging, they did not approve of his entry to South African Idol, but had a change of heart once he made it through the competition.
Nicknamed P.K. for “Pastor’s Kid,” 25-year-old Mthethwa is a self-taught percussionist, keyboards player, guitarist, music composer and church music director. In this week’s competition, over 3 million voters made his dream a reality. Many say that the reason South African Idol had never had a black winner was because the show aired on a subscription channel. That meant viewers must pay-to-vote, only leaving voting options for the white middle-class.
