HOUSE DJ Black Coffee has stepped down as a judge on the Miss South Africa pageant.

His appointment as judge was controversial, with people questioning why he, a house music DJ with no beauty or fashion experience, was chosen as a judge for Mzansi's most prestigious pageant.

But that controversy is not the reason Black Coffee, real name Nkosinathi Maphumulo, left Miss South Africa.

The DJ said he quit "with immediate effect" to avoid a conflict of interest situation when it emerged that a relative of his was a contestant.

"To my surprise, it has emerged that I am actually related by marriage to top 33 semifinalist Tidimalo Sehlako.

"Sehlako is the half-sister of my wife, Mbali Mlotshwa, and although she and her half-sister have only ever met twice in person, I had never met her, and notwithstanding that we have no relations of any kind with her.

"I do not wish any perception arising to distract from the pageant."

According to a statement, Miss South Africa auditor PwC has eliminated Black Coffee's scores from the competition and the semifinalists remain unchanged.

Sun International, the official licenceholder of Miss South Africa, said Sehlako would remain in the pageant and it believed she had all the attributes to wear the Miss South Africa crown, should she be declared the winner.