Zandie Khumalo opens up on welcoming her first child

She kept her pregnancy a secret up until a few weeks before she was due to give birth.

Singer and songwriter Zandie Khumalo-Gumede eventually opened up about her baby bump through an Instagram post on her page.

“A journey that is exciting and very scary at the same time but worth it, I wanna thank God for lesibusiso esisendleleni (the blessing that is on the way). I’m eight months in today and I can’t believe it’s almost time. We can’t wait to meet u Zenala ka mama [sic],” she wrote at the time.

Time flew by and by 21 September 2021, she and businessman husband Hloni ‘Mhlo’ Gumede welcomed their baby boy, Zenala.

Excited about the new journey of being a mom, Zandie tells Drum that she has been looking forward to motherhood.

“We have always wanted a family of our own when the time was right, and this could not have happened at a better time,” she says.

She and Mhlo chose the name Zenala which means ‘days of abundance’.

“We both chose the name because we wanted something unique but meaningful and spiritual,” Zandi says.

The name Zenala is also the title of her seven-track EP which she released last month.

“Since knowing that I was expecting, I have had so many blessings. My single Ngijabule Kabi went gold, and we are gunning for platinum. My son has just come with such abundance, which is why we chose that name for him,” she explains.

Her pregnancy and the birth of her child have brought joy into her marriage and created a stronger bond in her union.

“We are in such a good space. This is the blessing we needed to add more joy to our union.”

Zandie is looking forward to enjoying her baby’s milestones.

“I’m looking forward to raising a responsible, respectful, and kind human being. I can’t wait to discover the person he will be one day.”

Although she is a first-time mother, she has had a lot of practice while helping her sister Kelly Khumalo in raising her kids, Christian and Thingo.

“I’ve helped to raise my sister’s kids as well and I understand motherhood. Now, it’s a matter of balancing my career, marriage, and motherhood.”

Zandie is planning on taking the whole month of November off to focus on her new bundle of joy.

“I’ve moved all my bookings so I can have good quality time with my baby. But after November it is back to work and balancing work and home.”

Sharing the joy of being a father, Mhlo says “being a father is a blessing.”

“Being a dad teaches one responsibility and appreciation for the smallest of things.” he says.

Zandie and Mhlo married in a traditional ceremony in 2016 in Umzinto, Kwazulu-Natal after dating for a year. They plan to have more children in the future.

But, for now, they’re enjoying their newborn.