Culture Craze
eNCA Under Fire for Mistakenly Reporting Kelly Khumalo’s Death Instead of Winnie Khumalo
South African news broadcaster eNCA faced backlash after anchor Shahan Ramkissoon incorrectly reported the death of singer Kelly Khumalo instead of musician Winnie Khumalo, who passed away on Tuesday.
During a live broadcast, Ramkissoon inadvertently mentioned Kelly Khumalo’s name while reporting on the death of veteran artist Winnie Khumalo. The mistake sparked widespread outrage, with Kelly Khumalo taking to social media to express her anger at the broadcaster’s error.
In a strongly worded Instagram post, Kelly Khumalo condemned eNCA for what she termed a reckless and disrespectful blunder.
“@encanews, you may dislike me or hold me in low regard, but this is incredibly reckless, ignorant, and disrespectful—not just to me but to those who love and care about me, especially my children. PUT SOME RESPECT ON MY NAME,” Kelly wrote.
View this post on Instagram
Ramkissoon acknowledged his mistake, issuing an apology on social media platform X. He described the error as an unintentional slip while ad-libbing the story and took full responsibility for it.
“I made an honest mistake, which I corrected shortly afterwards on air. It was a slip of the tongue as I ad-libbed the story. I take full responsibility for the error. To those seeking to amplify this for attention: do what you must trend and stay blessed,” Ramkissoon posted.
I made an honest mistake, which I corrected shortly afterwards on air. It was a slip of the tongue as I ad-libbed the story. I take full responsibility for the error. To those seeking to amplify this for attention: do what you must trend and stay blessed. 🙏🏽 #WinnieKhumalo pic.twitter.com/f21rSUdCNJ
— Shahan Ramkissoon (@ShahanR) January 8, 2025
The incident has drawn mixed reactions online. While some defended Ramkissoon, noting that mistakes can happen during live broadcasts, others criticized both the presenter and eNCA for a lack of diligence.
Many sympathized with Kelly Khumalo, pointing out the emotional toll such an error could take on her and her family. The controversy has reignited discussions about accountability and accuracy in live news reporting.
This high-profile misstep underscores the importance of precision in journalism, especially in live settings where errors can spread misinformation and cause unnecessary distress. As Kelly Khumalo demanded respect for her name, the incident serves as a reminder of the human impact behind reporting errors.
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