South African singer Kelly Khumalo has publicly denounced eNCA News for a false report announcing her death, a distressing incident that occurred on Tuesday, 7 January, the same day the family mourned the passing of another prominent singer, Winnie Khumalo. The inaccurate report, broadcast on eNCA’s “The Lead” programme, caused significant upset for Khumalo and her family, coming at a time of profound grief.
The erroneous announcement was made by reporter Shahan Ramkissoon, who stated, "If you are just joining us, our breaking news story is that musician Kelly Khumalo has passed away at the age of 51. We will speak to her colleagues in a short while." A clip of this broadcast was subsequently shared on eNCA's Instagram page.
Khumalo responded swiftly and directly on her own Instagram account, expressing her anger and disappointment. She wrote: “@encanews you may hate me or even think very less of me, however this is very reckless, ignorant and disrespectful not only to me but to those who love and care about me especially my kids. PUT SOME RESPECT ON MY NAME 👏🏽🤴🏾🐆,”
This condemnation highlights the profound emotional impact of the false report. The insensitive nature of the announcement, compounded by the inaccurate claim of her age, caused significant distress not only to Khumalo herself but also to her family and supporters. The timing of the incident, coinciding with the death of her relative, Winnie Khumalo, adds another layer of complexity and emotional weight to the situation.
“She was really not well. Unfortunately on their drive to the hospital that’s when she passed away. When they arrived at the hospital they pronounced her dead on arrival. It is expected that we are devastated. We are at a loss. Winnie had a son, Ntando Khumalo, and daughter, Rethabile Khumalo, and three grandchildren, three sisters and her mother,” Akeepile continued.
The juxtaposition of the eNCA error with the genuine grief surrounding Winnie Khumalo's death underscores the insensitivity and irresponsibility of the false report. The incident raises serious questions about eNCA's editorial processes and fact-checking mechanisms. The broadcast of such a significant falsehood without verification highlights a concerning lack of due diligence and a disregard for the potential consequences of disseminating inaccurate information.
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