WOW! How easy it is to be drawn into an argument unwittingly!
So, ok, since you asked here are my opinions on the matter:
Personally, I don't have any opinions on allowing more non-European countries in or leaving them out. Let the powers that be decide, and I'll be fine with the decision. I'm willing to go with the flow and enjoy whatever situation presents itself in future. However, I can't see a situation where an unlimited number of countries are allowed to enter, simply because the competition will become too big and unmanageable. Perhaps, if there is enough demand, it would then be a good idea to have a Worldvision competition running parallel to but separately from Eurovision. The problem is that allowing Australia in has opened up a can of worms now, because, as predicted, if one non-European country is allowed, it would be terribly unfair to deny another.
MHYI, this time I'm calling you out. This thing about 4 non-European countries being culturally European and all others not is rubbish. The problem is that where do you draw this imaginary line to decide which countries are European enough, and which are not. It is simply not possible. It is also very unfortunate that you have chosen 4 countries in the British realm as the anointed ones. The influences, ties and general feeling of togetherness between e.g. Argentina and Spain (and Italy) or Brazil and Portugal, I can assure you, are in no means inferior the the 4 countries you have selected. You see the problem really is that there is no way to distinguish which countries are more or less "culturally European." Does a certain percentage of the population have to speak a European language? Because almost all of Latin America speaks Spanish or Portuguese? Does a certain percentage of the population have to be white Europeans? Because that would be plain racist. Do they have to be in the British realm? Exactly how do you measure and determine cultural closeness?
Furthermore, regardless of their assumed cultural similarities NONE of these 4 countries are in fact European, and no amount of wishing, hoping and argumenting will ever convince me otherwise.
And as far as South Africa goes, let me try to explain a few things: One of the nations living in South Africa is the Afrikaners, of which I am a prime example. We derive from Western European settlers (mostly Dutch, German and French) that arrived here between 1652 and about 1820. Our language is Afrikaans, which is derived from Dutch, as it developed and changed on African soil over the course of 350 years. By about 1900 the Dutch language had changed so much that it wasn't Dutch anymore, and the Afrikaans language was finally recognised in the 1920's. The Afrikaners are as lily-white as any European and still follow many European traditions and customs. However, have no illusions, we are an African people, born and bred on African soil. Apart from the Afrikaners, there are also people of British descent, who arrived from about 1800 onwards. They retained their language and culture and in most cases did not "Africanise". Both these groups together form the white/European portion of the South African population, which currently comprise only about 8% of the total South African population. So it should be clear from this that while there are some people with European customs/ties in South Africa, we are an African country by definition.
As for possible future South African participation in Eurovision: I'm not sure where these rumors about interest are coming from, but it sounds like somebody has been eating too many herb-flavored cookies. Let me say it loud and clear- IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. Firstly, the amount of Eurovision fans in South Africa are probably between 9 and 11. Close to nobody has ever heard of it. It has never been broadcast in South Africa. (We get Dutch/Portuguese/Italian etc. channels on Satellite TV, and I have watched it there, though.) Furthermore, our government (and the broadcaster, the SABC, as a semi-government institution by implication) absolutely despises anything they deem to be "Eurocentric". They are laboring very hard to promote an "Afrocentric" agenda, and they won't touch anything that is not "Afrocentric" enough. Something like Eurovision will never ever ever be considered. Just think how much pres. Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe hates Europe and the UK, turn it down half a notch, and you have the South African government and their puppet broadcaster. They will rather sleep on a bed of 1000 poisonous snakes than get involved with Eurovision. So you don't have to worry, we will not be joining Eurovision anytime in this century.
I have nothing against Australia, but I like consistency: if they can, why others couldn't? The EBU knew how to overlook member statuses and geographic criterion to let them in, so that's not even an ethical issue 
can join in Eurovision despite their distance (But their money & telecasting history had weight) then the Latin countries like the mie for example can join in ESC in the future, if one of our public TV stations (for example) applies for EBU non associated membership as Australia done and send our own commentators. 
