Soweto Gospel Choir star seeks help over alcohol addiction
Former Soweto Gospel Choir singer Lehakwe Crystal Tlali claims her life spiralled out of control over her alcohol addiction…
Former Soweto Gospel Choir singer Lehakwe Crystal Tlali has appealed to the public to get help for her depression and alcohol addiction.
The talented star – who appeared in a heartbreaking video earlier this week looking worse for wear – was known for her rendition of the popular song Modimo Re Boka Wena.
FORMER SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR SINGER: ‘I NEED HELP’
In a TikTok video posted by content creator Jerry Maya, Lehakwe Tlali appealed to the public for help.
She said: “I sang for the Soweto Gospel Choir and had my own show in Germany.
“I lost my job and came back home. I’ve been home for years without a job.”
Explaining a viral video where she appears intoxicated, she said: “I went into depression [and became an] alcoholic. I need help where I can be rehabilitated and get back to work.
“No one is working at home. I can’t cope anymore.”
@jerrymayajerrymay ♬ original sound – Jerry-Maya on (0727102536)
Speaking to Zimoja, Lehakwe’s mother, Manini said of the singer: “She is a talented young woman who is good at what she does. And I know that when she gets sober, she will be back to the daughter I know and also be able to take care of her son”.
Earlier this week, Maya shared a clip of Lehakwe roaming the streets of Qwaqwa in the Free State.
Maya – who works for the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, came across the gospel singer while attending an event.
“This is Lekahoe [Lehakwe] Tlali. She used to sing for the Soweto Gospel Choir. Please help her”, he captioned the heartbreaking video.
In the clip, Lehakwe appeared barefoot, dishevelled, and with a cigarette in her hand.
‘SHE WAKES UP AND STARTS DRINKING’
According to the Sowetan, Lehakwe Tlali was part of the Soweto Gospel Choir, which won two Grammy awards in 2007 and 2008 for Best Traditional World Music Album.
In 2004, Lehakwe was interviewed by the Manchester Evening News during the choir’s UK tour.
Lehakwe revealed that she was just 16 when she joined the choir and that she had been singing since the age of three.
She said: “I send money home to my mother. When I was young, we survived because I went out onto the streets to sing.
“My mother was on her own – my father left when I was very small – so I used what God gave me to help us eat and keep a roof over our heads.
At the time, Lehakwe had travelled with the Soweto Gospel Choir to Europe, Asia, Australia, and the US.
Speaking to Zimoja, a source revealed that Lehakwe had turned to the bottle after years of stardom.
The source said: “It is not nice to come back home after you have been a superstar star touring abroad. We need someone to help her as she wakes up early and starts drinking. She is a mere shadow of her former self”.
