Lalla Hirayama and DJ Fresh are replacing judges Ian von Memerty and Kabelo Mabalane who've been with SA's Got Talent for the 3rd and 4th seasons since SABC2 lost the format reality talent show and e.tv took it over.
SA's Got Talent presenter Tats Nkonzo also remains. The 5th season of SA's Got Talent (which e.tv publicity erroneously refers to as the 3rd season and also says "premiers" on 7 September) is produced by Rapid Blue.
It makes for a very crowded field of TV talent shows that will battle it out for the crown of TV ratings in just over a month's time.
SA's Got Talent V will compete for viewers' attention along with the first season of The X Factor SA that will start a day earlier on Saturday 6 September on SABC1. Meanwhile Idols X starts on M-Net this Sunday 13 July on M-Net (DStv 101) and Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) for its 10th season.
The 5th season of SA's Got Talent will use the Soweto Theate in Soweto for the first time for the finals, other venues have not been announced. The winner gets a R250 000 grand prize.
"This is e.tv's flagship programme that has been receiving tremendous support from the South African public for two years," says Monde Twala, the group head of e.tv's channels division.
"It is the kind of show that evokes emotions, excitement and pride in the caliber of talent that gets exposed," says Monde Twala.
Lalla Hirayama is the pop culture everywhere phenom who has become synonymous with the Vuzu (DStv 116) channel on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV platform and is a Japanese born South African dancer, actress, model and TV presenter.
She ended 2nd in the 6th season of the South African version of the dance reality competition show Strictly Come Dancing which is starting its next season soon on SABC3.
Lalla Hirayama also appeared in Clover and e.tv's advertiser-funded production Tropika Island of Treasure in 2011.
Thato Sikwane known as DJ Fresh is known for producing house music and is the presenter of 5FM's Fresh Drive timeslot. He has released 24 house albums over the past two decades.
