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Johannesburg. — The first few minutes of episode one of the new season of Kelly Khumalo’s reality show, “Life With Kelly Khumalo”, offers an apt glimpse into the controversial Afropop artist’s current mindset.

Responding to Radio 702 host Relebogile Mabotja’s question about how she’s coping with all the external noise and scrutiny around her alleged involvement in a cover-up of the murder of Senzo Meyiwa, Khumalo replied sharply. “I’m not coping. I’m living.

“And secondly, the noise is external. It has absolutely nothing to do with me. When I’m needed, and when the time is right, the world will hear my voice. So whatever noise they’re making has absolutely nothing to do with me.”

Khumalo went on to add how this isn’t the only case that has been a failure in the South African justice system, but just because she’s involved, it’s being magnified and made to seem like something peculiar.

It’s Khumalo responding with the fire and vigour that many, myself included, have admired about her over the years.

When she’s challenged or confronted with adversity, Khumalo never seems to waver. She has a sense of confidence and conviction about her that most of us can only dream of.

On Monday, a day before the first episode’s release on Showmax, Khumalo joined reporter Slindelo Masikane for an exclusive interview on eNCA.

Her comments during the interview have since been widely circulating on social media, with one particular eyebrow-raising comment in which Khumalo appeared to discredit Meyiwa’s status at the time of his death, sparking debate. “First of all, I was Kelly Khumalo before Senzo Meyiwa,” she said in a viral clip.

“I did not know who Senzo Meyiwa was until a friend of mine explained to me who he was. Nobody knew who Senzo Meyiwa was until he was attached to the brand Kelly Khumalo.” It’s an extraordinary statement, given the circumstances. While there are some that agree, many on Twitter are not buying it.

“When Senzo was alive, we were still confusing Kelly Khumalo with Khanyi Mbau,” one user commented. “What does she mean she was bigger than thee Senzo Meyiwa? The nerve.”

Even if that was the case, it’s a rather distasteful and tone-deaf statement to make at this time. In her quest to vindicate herself, this line of combative discourse seems to be her modus operandi from here on out.

Towards the end of the fascinating episode of her reality show, Khumalo went so far as to launch an attack on Meyiwa’s family.

“That family did not love Senzo,” she said to her friend Wanda Baloyi. “They never loved him. He was a cash cow. You know the first thing that woman (his mother) said when Senzo passed on? ‘Who’s going to feed us?’ Your son is dead. The only thing you’re thinking about is flippen food?”

She went on to add how he would give all his money to his family and be left broke, which forced her to take care of him.

In the interview with eNCA, Khumalo, sitting alongside her lawyer Magdelene Moonsamy, doubled down on her offensive by slamming the justice system and claiming that we are all victims of its failures.

“We have a problem in our country, and this is not just about Kelly Khumalo, the musician. This is about an individual in the pits and darkest place of wherever it is, where they lose loved ones, and justice is not served.  — iolnews/sa.