Clash of the Choirs SA kicks off its first audition day at the Dance Factory in Newton on Saturday.

The first national auditions kicked off on Saturday in Johannesburg for the new reality singing competition format show Clash of the Choirs South Africa with Bonang Matheba as the presenter who has jettisoned SABC1.

Clash of the Choirs SA will be shown on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) forming part of new local content after the M-Net run channel cancelled local shows All Access Mzansi and My Top 10 due to budget issues.

The first audition day of Clash of the Choirs SA which will see various regional choirs - each with their own choir master - compete against each other, took place in the Dance Factory in Newton yesterday.

Clash of the Choirs SA's nationwide audition process will move to Mpumalanga for the second leg of the competition next week.

BREAKING. Mzansi Magic producing Clash of the Choirs South Africa with Bonang Matheba as the host of this local version.

Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) is producing a first and local season of the format reality show Clash of the Choirs entitled Clash of the Choirs South Africa with Bonang Matheba as the host.

Auditions for choirs across South Africa will kick off next month for the reality show in which singing groups compete against each other for a prize of R250 000.

Choirs get a celebrity choir master over the course of nine weeks, competing against each other to try and not be eliminated. Clash of the Choirs SA will also have a panel of three judges who will judge the various choirs.

Auditions details for Clash of the Choirs South Africa for November will be announced by the channel soon and will take place in seven provinces with seven musical celebrities who will also visit the provinces. Successful choirs will return to Johannesburg with their celebrity choir masters.

"We are excited to introduce Clash of the Choirs South Africa," says Yolisa Phahle, the director of special interest channels at M-Net. "We felt that it was the right time to celebrate choral music given that this type of music is heavily rooted in South African culture."

"This is a bold step for Mzansi Magic and we would like to encourage people to make their way to the auditions. This particular format will allow viewers to experience great choral music with a twist," she says. "The show is guaranteed to be entertaining and packed with all the elements of a great reality show."