Award-winning South African singer Kelly Khumalo stirred up social media this Father’s Day with a scathing message directed at absent fathers, sparking speculation that the comments were aimed at her ex-partner and the father of her child, rapper Jub Jub.
On Sunday, 15 June 2025, while many families were celebrating Father’s Day with heartfelt tributes, Khumalo chose to use the occasion to call out so-called “social media dads”—fathers who post about their children online but are largely absent in their lives.
“Not Social Media Dads”
The outspoken singer shared a fiery TikTok video where she sarcastically congratulated real fathers while calling out men who only claim the title of “dad” for show on the internet.
“It’s Father’s Day. Us fathers are celebrating the fruits of being fathers, not social media dads who are gladly not dads,” Kelly said in the video. Without explicitly mentioning Jub Jub, the context of their history and long-standing public tension left many fans convinced that the pointed remarks were aimed at him.
Khumalo and Jub Jub, whose real name is Molemo Maarohanye, have a strained relationship that has played out in the public eye over the years. The two share a child, but Kelly has often spoken about raising her child alone, accusing Jub Jub of neglect
“Take Her to Court”
In the video, Khumalo didn’t stop at just exposing absent fathers; she also took direct aim at a common excuse often used by men who claim they are being kept from their children.
“Social media donors… Their excuse is, ‘The mother doesn’t want me to see the child.’ Are you serious?” she asked sharply.
Offering no sympathy for such claims, she urged those men to pursue legal avenues if they were genuinely committed to being in their children’s lives. “Take her to court,” she said plainly, implying that men who fail to take that step are not serious about fatherhood at all.
Divided Opinions
As expected, Kelly’s bold message caused a stir online. The video quickly spread to platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where users were quick to weigh in. Supporters praised Khumalo for speaking up on behalf of countless single mothers who shoulder the burden of raising children alone while fighting absent fathers behind the scenes.
However, others criticised her approach, arguing that personal family issues should not be aired on public platforms like TikTok and X. Some felt that her remarks, though possibly justified, were unnecessarily provocative, especially on a day meant to celebrate fatherhood.
Regardless of the mixed reactions, Khumalo’s message resonated with many women across South Africa who identified with the frustrations she voiced.
While Jub Jub has yet to respond publicly to the video, the post has reignited long-standing conversations about parental responsibility, particularly the roles of fathers in their children’s lives beyond the digital space.
For now, Kelly Khumalo stands by her words—making it clear that in her view, real fathers show up in person, not just online.
