Phelo Bala responds to the criticism he has received since revealing that he is a sangoma.
The musician revealed to Zimoja that he accepted the calling 8 years ago, so it’s not as new as some may believe.
“I’ve never hidden my gift. My calling is nothing new,” he says. “I have countless times spoken about it and shared my journey, the hardships, and what it means to me.”
“It’s not something you wake up to one morning and decide to pursue. It’s not a joke, it’s real life. I don’t think If I had a choice, I would choose to be a sangoma.”
He says being a sangoma isn’t fake or something he does for fashion.
“Why would anyone fake something so challenging and demanding? Having this gift means you have to deal with yourself, your mental wellness and go on these intense programmes to understand what you have. So, I doubt being a sangoma can ever be a fashion statement.”
The former lover of Moshe Ndiki further detailed how he received and accepted the calling to be a sangoma while speaking to Zimoja.
“I was in Gqeberha for a funeral and after the funeral proceedings, I started to almost lose my mind, Phelo says. “I didn’t understand some of the things I was saying. I woke up the next day and some parts of my body were not working, and I was in a way. hallucinating. I was then taken for a consultation and that is when I found out about my calling,” he adds. “That is when everything started for me. It was a shock, but it kind of made sense.”
“I’ve had to learn some things and understand that it is a gift and not a curse. It has not been easy. I needed to know myself, my culture, and my creator,” he concluded.
