You can’t keep a good man down

And, fortunately, when he finally listened, that was the moment a new local gospel star was born.

The youngster, from KwaThema, says from an early age music was his thing as he grew up in a musical family.

“When I was young, I started as a worshiper at the Gospel Mission for Christ.

“However, in the early 90’s, when I went to secondary school, I met the wrong crowd and that is where I fell in terms of my faith,” he says.

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Jeffrey soon found himself in the trap of smoking and excessive drinking which, he says, helped him forget his problems.

“I kept blaming my parents for separating and blamed the financial problems we had.

“And since I did not want to be reprimanded for my alcohol abuse, I tried to kill myself.

“At some stage I also became mentally ill, but have my mother, Nomthandazo Makhanya, to thank as she stuck with us even when things were tough,” he says.

After battling for about ten years, Jeffrey’s brother, Moses ‘Nana’ Khumalo, finally managed to convince him to go church.

“The only thing he asked was if there would be girls and food, but he agreed to go,” says Moses.

“I went to church with him and that is where I found Christ again,” says Jeffrey.

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“Through prayers, I got past this ordeal and in 2008 accepted Christ into my life again under the Hope of Glory Ministers, in KwaThema,” he says.

In 2011 he moved on to join the congregation of Lesedeng Ekukhanyeni Christian Centre, in Duduza, where he became part of the leadership of the worship team in 2013.

In that same year he came across lead guitarist Msizi ‘Chunky’ Mashiane, of Joyous Celebration, who had visited the church.

“Msizi heard me sing and from there had an interest in recording my music.

“But since I had heard it all before, I did not take him seriously and was not very excited,” says Jeffrey.

He believes though that it was the way he worshiped and showed fear for God that drew Msizi to him.

Last year, the two men met again and still Msizi made the same promise of starting to record but Jeffrey did not believe him.

“In July, when I got the phone call to come and record the next day, is where it kicked in.

“I was told to go to the studio and when I heard that, all the emotions kicked in.

“All I could do at that point was just praise and worship as my dream was finally becoming a reality,” he says.

The team worked on the album titled Ngipha’mandla from July to October and it was released in December with 11 tracks on it.

Jeffrey describes the experience as great but also nerve-racking.

“What got me through it was that I was encouraged to do what I would do in church, and that made it easier.

“I really enjoyed every moment of making this album and thank Msizi, Timothy Sibanyoni, Shadrack Mbonani, Thando Mdiniso, Thabiso Mokgosi and Sifiso Mbebe.

“My music is different, as it is filled with Christ; it’s not about entertainment or money but winning people from the kingdom of darkness to light; it is of praise and worship and gives people hope.

“I also encourage parents not to lose faith in their children but to just pray for them, no matter the situation,” he says.

For more information, contact Jeffrey on 084 258 1617 or Msizi on 081 300 3792.