DURBAN - SONGBIRD Kelly Khumalo’s love life has been thrust into the spotlight in the past with her celebrity relationships that have been marred by fights, romance, break-ups and infidelity.
The musician has dated rapper Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye and slain Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, who was shot dead at Kelly’s mother’s house in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, in 2014.
Her relationship with Meyiwa was filled with controversy as the ex-Orlando Pirates’ keeper was engaged to long-time girlfriend Mandisa Mkhize at the time.
Despite the turbulence of her love life, Khumalo will host her own talk show about love, break-ups, relationships and marriage. The TV show, Love and Matrimony, will premiere on DStv’s GAU TV, channel 265, where she will interview other well-known personalities about their relationships.
In an interview with the Sunday Tribune this week, Khumalo described herself as a “sucker for love”.
“I think the main or even the core reason why I agreed to do the show is that I feel like society has given up on love and love has become something that we are so afraid of.
“Love has become something that we don’t want to be part of or want to embrace because we have been hurt so many times to a point where you think, like, if you fall in love, you will be hurt,” she said.
“Obviously love comes with its ups and downs, but at the end of the day it’s beautiful,” said Khumalo.
Her love affair with Meyiwa ended in tears, with the goalkeeper being shot dead in a suspected robbery. The lovers had a baby girl together.
When asked whether she had heard anything from the police regarding the probe into her former lover’s killing, she would not be drawn into commenting. The investigation has gone on for more than two years without success.
The artist, who came to prominence with her hit Qinisile, remains single and not quite ready to mingle.
“I don’t think I have time for that. I have so much happening in my life right now,” she said.
“There’s just so much happening around my life I have two kids. For me, it would not make sense to be in a relationship right now.
“It’ not only about time, I have a particular partner that I want.
“So until I’ve met that partner, I’m very happy to reserve myself,” said Khumalo.
Although she’s not looking, Khumalo says the qualities she looks for in a man include that he is a hard worker, kind and God-fearing.
“There are dreams and then there’s reality. In my years of living I’ve been in couple of relationships and I’ve learnt that there is no perfect partner for starters and love is a decision.
“But more than anything else, he has to be a man who is God-fearing, a man who goes after God’s heart before me.
“Secondly, he has to be a man full of wisdom and power, a hard-working man, and he has to have big heart, he has to be very kind and love family because I love family,” she said. “And he has to very forgiving. Life is so hard on everybody else not to be forgiving.”
Songbird Kelly Khumalo Picture: Supplied
Khumalo said her dream TV presenting gig would be about life.
“Nobody teaches us about life,” she said.
“It would be about how to live life because most of us make so many mistakes because we don’t know how to live.
“We don’t know how to be as human beings and I think my (ideal) show in future would focus on that,” she said.
Khumalo is in Durban to promote her new single, Dance Africa, which features in her latest album, My Truth.
She is scheduled to perform alongside her younger sister, Zandile, at Mama’s Jus’ Jazzin’ in Durban North on Sunday night..
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