Soweto-born singer Winnie Khumalo has passed away at the age of 51.

She succumbed to a short illness earlier today.

Khumalo is known for her chart-topping album ‘I Just Wanna Live My Life’ which achieved gold status after selling over 25 000 copies.

Her career began at the age of 15 and she later graced television screens with roles in popular SABC programmes such as Muvhango and Mponeng.

Her sister, Ntshepenge Rakeepile, expressed the family’s heartbreak, saying they believed Khumalo was recovering until her sudden deterioration this morning.

“My sister was sick. She did have a short illness and we really thought she was recovering. But this morning it turned out she hadn’t fully recovered from her illness. She was quickly rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, she was pronounced dead,” explains Rakeepile.