The famed My Star talent show winner, Otsile Motlotle says he has wasted his resources investing in the competition believing that at the end, he will have much to reap in terms of monetary reward like previous winners.

However, the show producer Keabetswe Sesinyi, best known as Master Dee, says this year’s show was more of talent exposure than the prize money because they did not have a sponsor.

Motlotle told The Midweek Sun that when the show started, Master Dee noted that there was no sponsorship but promised that once they secure one they would honour the winners with what is due to them. However, participants ran out of luck as no sponsor came on board.

“I want my prize and I am speaking up because I do not want the same situation to happen to the upcoming My Star cohort,” Motlotle said. He also claims that he could not even get his scholarship that comes with the prize money. His gut is that he will never be paid even if a sponsor shows up for the next season.

Master Dee explains that they had promised to compensate the winners if they secure sponsorship next year. “When we started, I made it clear that we did not have a sponsor because of Covid implications, and therefore the show would be based more on talent exposure than competing for cash.”

Further, he says that about six participants left the show because they were in it for the money. Master Dee is not happy that as a result of Motlotle’s behaviour on social media, he has been attacked by fans.

“The show has been running for the past 15 years, and this is the only season that did not have a sponsor because of the effects of Covid, as some of our potential sponsors have been severely affected,” Master Dee said.

When the show started in 2007, the winner walked away with P10 000 and P15 000 in 2008. The prize money increased significantly from then until in 2011 when Bianca won P100 000.

“I have also engaged Motlotle’s father in the scholarship matter, and from the look of things, he does not have the required points for the course that he wants to pursue,” Master Dee said.

He adds that he is a man of his word reiterating that if he finds a sponsor for Season 16, he will pay everyone accordingly. He believes that people want to bring the show down and it is sad and unfortunate because the show has helped a lot of Batswana before

Motlotle.