Otsile Motlotle, the winner of My Star season 15, is dejected after the TV show failed to pay him his P100 000 cash prize.
He took to his social media recently to vent about his My Star victory which has supposedly turned into a cat and mouse game over his prize.
In an interview with this publication, Motlotle says he was announced the winner of My Star season 15 on September 28 2022.
Like previous seasons, the expectation was that Motlotle would walk away with a P100 000 cash prize.
He says to their surprise, the show’s owner and director, Keabetswe ‘Master D’ Sesinyi, announced during the finale that the winner would not be walking away with the P100 000 prize because they had not found any sponsors.
He says that Master D however said the winner would be getting a scholarship.
Motlotle says that after the Grande Finale, Master D kept mum on his prize winnings, until he (Motlotle) contacted him and they scheduled a meeting.
According to Motlotle, a lot of nonsensical things were said by Master D at those meetings; however they eventually agreed that Motlotle apply to a school of his choosing to benefit from the scholarship.
“I tried all I could to find a school but was unsuccessful in my efforts, and when I called him to explain this, he hung up on me and that was the last time we spoke.”
Master D however tells a different story. He says that Motlotle has turned into a liar who is trying to bring his brand into disrepute.
According to him, the contestants were informed at the start of the competition that there would be no cash prize for the winner. “Some even left the competition after learning this but others, the likes of Otsile, stayed.”
He says he made it clear that those who were staying would only get publicity out of it.
“It is true that I met with his parents, however, they too knew that we did not have a sponsor. I instead offered him the scholarship. His task was to apply to his preferred school, and he chose BaIsago.”
Master D says he personally went to follow up on the application and was told that Otsile had not provided the required documents.
He says that he tried to follow him around until he ultimately gave up.
Motlotle alongside another contestant who was in the top 3, deny ever being given the option to leave the show since there was no prize.
He said that given the option, he would not have stayed and performed week after week for nothing.
Despite his hard work, talent and dedication, all he got in the end was one disappointment after the other.
He says all he wants is his prize or its value in a way that will help his music career.
“I don’t want those coming after me to go through what I went through. I want people to assist in bringing awareness to this growing issue so that organizers of such competitions are held accountable for their actions.”
This is not the first scandal to brew about the show over prize winnings.
In the past, Master D has been dragged for failing to fulfill monetary promises he made to contestants with regard to prizes.
In 2010, Ontefetse Gosego demanded answers after he was given P100 000 instead of P1 million which he was promised.
Master D says if he gets sponsors in the next season, then he will give something to the top 3 from season 15 as an appreciation.