At the end of the year 2024, singer, sangoma and one-third of the Bala Brothers, Phelo Bala, made headlines after he was reported by a gossip site that he had tried to escape from a rehabilitation centre. The Andisafuni singer has since been recovering well.

HEALING

A close family friend confirmed to ZiMoja that the incident was not entirely false. "Yes, he admitted himself, voluntarily with the help of his family at a rehabilitation centre in Mpumalanga.' The friend said Phelo had been dealing with a lot of personal issues for years. "That drove him to the edge. I can't go into detail about substances and all those things, but he burned a lot of bridges with friends and family members,' he said. " He would throw unwarranted tantrums and the last straw was when he became violent with a friend.'

GETTING HELP

The close friend revealed that since deciding to stay at the centre, he has been "cleaning up well.' He said, the family shot the reality show but were two minds about going into the personal details of being admitted at a rehabilitation centre. "It's a very sensitive topic but that is what a reality show is all about, showing the good, the bad, and the ugly."

THE PAST

Phelo previously opened up about his battle with mental wellness. He was diagnosed with depression at 17 years old and has been fighting it since. Phelo left Johannesburg and moved back home to Uitenhage to "find himself' after his breakup with husband Moshe Ndiki a few years ago. He started making music again and participated in his family's reality show, The Bala Family. "He is talented and amazing, and we are proud of him for wanting to do better and be better.'