South African singer Kelly Khumalo, a figure frequently embroiled in controversy, has announced a significant new chapter in her life: she has officially graduated as an inyanga, a traditional healer.
The announcement, made on Ukhozi FM on her 40th birthday, Monday 11 November, came as a surprise to many, though she has alluded to her spiritual journey for years. Now, she greets men with the title "mkhulu" and women as "gogo," reflecting her new status. This development comes amidst the ongoing high-profile trial surrounding the murder of her former boyfriend, Senzo Meyiwa, a case that has placed her firmly in the public spotlight.
“Today, as I’m celebrating my birthday, I’m also graduating as inyanga. So, now I’m officially inyanga,” Khumalo declared on air.
She detailed a lengthy and multifaceted training process, explaining, “After 15 years of searching and trying to figure out who I am, today I’m finally graduating, and am a certified inyanga. But mine is different. It's not just traditional healing but a universal gift. It's not only focused on black people, but it'll go all over the world. That's why it took longer for me to even figure it out, gogo. I was trained four to five times, but today is the first time I’m graduating as inyanga. I was trained in many places, including in the water, nature, by prayer, and through my roots, because it's important to know where I come from to know where I’m going.”
This new milestone coincides with another significant anniversary for Khumalo: twenty years in the music industry. She is currently working on a project, titled "20 Years of Kelly Khumalo," scheduled for release in early 2025.
“I’m celebrating many milestones: 20 years in the industry, turning 40, and graduating as inyanga for the first time. For me, it feels like I’m given a new life, and everything is renewed and restored," she shared.
Watch. Controversial musician Kelly Khumalo official becomes inyanga. @dailysunsa pic.twitter.com/URWtjML9xh
— Jabulani Langa (@JabulaniL2023) November 12, 2024
While Khumalo celebrated her dual achievements with friends, she declined further comment when contacted by the Daily Sun. “Listen here, mkhulu, I don’t want to talk to newspapers, and don’t want anything related to newspapers,” she stated firmly.
Her journey into traditional healing has been a gradual one. In a 2018 interview on Metro FM, she discussed the spiritual aspect of her life, stating, “You don’t manage, you just be. I don’t choose to look into people’s lives, and I don’t see what I want to see, I see what I’m supposed to see, what I’m meant to see. So, the seeing part has got absolutely nothing to do with me, I’m just a messenger.”
A recent Instagram post, featuring a striking image of Khumalo adorned in traditional attire, including an umqhele and a war bonnet, further hinted at her new calling: "O Hlanga lomhablata, You Mighty One. You were called and responded, now you are a certified healer."
Khumalo’s controversial status in South Africa, largely stemming from the unresolved circumstances surrounding Senzo Meyiwa’s death in her home in 2014, adds a fascinating layer to her new role as an inyanga. In many African cultures, sangomas, or traditional healers, are believed to possess supernatural abilities, including the power to counteract those who oppose or underestimate them.
Given the intense scrutiny and often vitriolic criticism Khumalo has faced, it remains to be seen how her newfound spiritual powers will influence her interactions with her detractors and those who continue to accuse her of involvement in Meyiwa's death.
