THINGS are not going well for gospel artist Andile Mbili!
The singer, who left the gospel group Abanqobi in 2013 after 12 years with them, is in a bad situation.
He can’t make ends meet, let alone provide for his father who now feels he has been neglected by him.
Jewel Shangase (60) lives in a one-roomed shack in Chesterville, west of Durban. He said he has not seen his only son since 2014.
“I raised Andile alone with the little money I earned from the factories in Durban. His mother died when he was young and I had to take care of him. But now he has deserted me – his own father,” said Jewel.
However, Andile said he has not left his father but things were not going well with his work.
He said: “My dad knows that I’m struggling. He must understand and support me. I don’t get enough gigs and my album is going very slowly in terms of sales.”
Jewel said when Andile got into music he had hoped that he would finally pull him out of poverty.
“When I heard him on radio singing with Abanqobi I thought it was the end of poverty for me,” said Jewel.
But that has not been the case. Andile went solo and released his album in 2014.
“I just want him to know that I love him and miss him,” said Jewel.
Andile said: “My father must also understand that I can’t visit him now because I’m busy. My biggest wish is to build him a house one day.”
