Gospel star Lungelo Hlongwane makes explosive claims about the industry: "Not Godly"

• Gospel star Lungelo Hlongwane claims the gospel music industry involves sinister, unholy, dark rituals
• He revealed he refused pressures to perform "ukuthwala" rituals for quick fame and wealth
• Lungelo, who became famous with his 2018 hit Qhubeka, commands a massive online following

Durban-based gospel star Lungelo Hlongwane sent shockwaves through the local music scene after making explosive allegations about "dark secrets" and "evil rituals" plaguing the industry.

Lungelo Hlongwane warns of evil in gospel

Far from the sanctuary of spiritual upliftment it purports to be, Lungelo claims that the pursuit of fame, wealth, and chart-topping success has driven many within the genre to embrace sinister and unholy practices.

He spoke with the Daily Sun in June 2026 and said:

"There are things happening that are not godly. They’re not supposed to happen in gospel music. I was told to go for ukuthwala rituals so I’d get rich quickly."

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Lungelo Hlongwane also stated that:

"Gospel music is not as godly and as holy as it's made out to be."

According to the reports surrounding the interview, the Durban gospel star is speaking out specifically because he is refusing to take part in these dark rituals himself.

"I refused because to go for ukuthwala means that I’m selling my soul to the devil."

Lungelo continued,

"I’ve seen and heard too much. I know secrets, and it’s hard because I can’t reveal those secrets."

Who is Lungelo Hlongwane?

Lungelo shot to fame after releasing his hit song Qhubeka in 2018. Since then, he has accumulated a large following across social media. At the time of writing, he has accumulated 45.7K subscribers on his official YouTube page.

His Instagram page has 16.8K followers, and his Facebook page has 401K followers. His Spotify account reaches 145,870 monthly listeners.

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Lungelo Hlongwane’s story is one of transformation and dedication. Born in Durban’s Umlazi township on September 12, 1998, Hlongwane initially aspired to become a professional football player. However, his path took an unexpected turn when he found his true calling in music.

Jumbo and Dumi Mkokstad assist Lungelo

South African gospel star Lungelo revealed that after COVID-19 disrupted his progress, he called Jumbo Nyangizwe as well as Dumi Mkokstad, who has been in the industry for 26 years.

According to Lungelo Hlongwane, Jumbo and Dumi Mkokstad responded to his plea for help and eventually covered all the costs of his EP titled Sizobonga, which was released in August 2024.

Dumi Mkokstad and his concerns about KZN artists

Still on the topic of gospel, Briefly News reported that South African award-winning Gospel singer Dumi Mkokstad expressed his concerns about KZN artists.

Mkokstad stated that many of the artists don't have the same drive and hunger they used to have. The star, who celebrated 25 years in the entertainment space, revealed how saddened he was when he found out that many artists don't have the dedication and passion anymore.

Source: Briefly News