But this time from a record number of 1436 entries in the province.

"We were incredibly impressed with the turn-out in KZN, but in the end it's all about quality," said Unathi Msengana, who shares the responsibility of discovering South Africa's next singing sensation with Randall Abrahams, Gareth Cliff and newcomer to the judging panel Somizi Mhlongo. "Many of the people who we picked today will definitely create some fireworks in the next round."

In this next phase of the competition, aptly called 'Idols Hell Week', the 16 Golden Ticket winners from the Durban auditions will compete against the 19 found at the Pretoria auditions, the 18 from Cape Town, as well as those that will impress the judges at the upcoming auditions at Carnival City.

About his first Idols judging stint in KZN, Mhlongo said: “I had high expectations today because I know Durban to be a number one town for vocal prowess. For me Winston Moonsamy was the stand-out talent today. I can see him being in the top 10.”

"This is my sixth audition, my fourth time seeing the judges, my third trip to Sun City,” the 28-year-old Winston Moonsamy (28) laughed after receiving his third Golden Ticket.

Moonsamy has deeply personal reasons driving him to audition again and again. He does not want to die without ever having made music, like his late dad, who passed away at only 29-years-old, when Moonsamy was just a baby. “He died young as a result of alcohol abuse and could never see any of his musical dreams realised,” says Moonsamy. “That is why today I am a teetotaler and so completely focused on my music.”

Many Idols fans will also be delighted to hear that Season 10 favourite Dr Lihle Buthelezi from Ladysmith, who just missed out on a spot in the top 16 last year, will be back at Sun City to resuscitate her singing career. But she's not the only medical doctor on Idols Season 11. Dr Mandla Bacela (28) from Butterworth also received a Golden Ticket at the auditions.

Their competition will come in the form of bright-eyed youngsters who left the stage after their very first try, like 19-year-old Hayden Olivier, who just wrote Matric in Johannesburg last year, where he lived with his uncle to finish his last three years of school after his parents moved to Pinetown.

The final audition for Idols SA Season 11 will take place at Carnival City in Johannesburg on Sunday, 1 March.

Contestants need to be South African citizens and between the ages of 16 and 30 in order to enter. Entrants need to have an ID document with them at the auditions and underage contestants have to be accompanied by their parents.

Idols South Africa is a co-production between M-Net and Mzansi Magic.

For more information follow Idols South Africa on Twitter.