Zandie Gumede: ‘Don’t congratulate me for releasing an album. It’s my job’

Songstress Zandie Khumalo-Gumede has sent out a message to her followers to “not waste” their congratulatory messages to praise her for doing her job, explaining she'd rather have their support than congratulations.

The Zenala singer took to Instagram to enlighten her fans on the kind of support she preferred and prioritises from  her fan base. 

She advised her fans not to “waste” their congratulatory messages on her when she releases a single or album, reasoning she doesn't want to be celebrated for doing her job.

“Don't congratulate me for realising an album or a song. It's my job. Yours is to support me, buy that song and help it reach milestones."

Zandie explained why she would rather have her fans show their appreciation by buying or streaming her music.

“You can't congratulate someone for waking up and going to work. It's my job to release music. I have seen people saying 'congrats on your new single' and I'm like, 'Haibo, what are you congratulating? You must just buy the music and help it get to gold status, then you can congratulate me',” she wrote with laughing emojis.

The relatively new mom is frank with her followers and recently had to address them when she posted a picture of her estranged sister Kelly Khumalo's kids on her IG and fans filled the comment sections with remarks about  how happy they were the pair had reunited.

Zandie penned a lengthy statement giving context to what happened in that image.

“On Sunday September 17 I posted pics of my son Zenala with his cousins, my nephew and niece Christian and Thingo. This was a very special moment for me, especially because not only are they like my own children but both of them have been part of my pregnancy from when I was three months pregnant,” she explained.

“They would call every week and literally force me to put the phone to my tummy so they could speak to their cousin. When he was born they couldn't wait to meet him and hold him, so when that moment happened and I saw the look on their faces it was just magical for me.”  

In February Zandie released a statement “divorcing” her sister Kelly after Kelly's claims about her husband, Mhlo Gumede, but the singer is adamant their fallout won't dampen her relationship with Kelly's children.