NATIONAL NEWS - The court battle between M-Net and axed Idols judge Gareth Cliff has nothing to do with whether the shock jock is a racist – it is a contractual dispute.

Both parties agree that Cliff is not a racist, Advocate Dali Mpofu said on behalf of Cliff in the Johannesburg High Court today.

Mpofu said the matter was about the enforcement of contractual right. He said a contract existed between Cliff and M-Net and in terminating the contract, M-Net violated Cliff’s constitutional rights.

M-Net axed Cliff as a judge for the 12th season of the South African version of the talent show earlier this month after a public outcry over a remark he posted on social media. In the aftermath of the Penny Sparrow racism row, Cliff tweeted that “people don’t understand free speech at all”.

Cliff is asking for reinstatement or alternatively wants R25 million in damages for defamation of character and the termination of his contract.