South African singer Jelly Babie opens up about abuse and trauma in marriage

Jelly Babie claims her estranged husband collected all her gigs money

South African singer and dancer Jelly Babie has made a shocking revelation about the alleged abuse she endured during her marriage to Koketso.

The Jukulyn hitmaker shared her story on Instagram, describing physical, emotional, and financial abuse that left her deeply scarred.

When asked how married life was treating her, Jelly Babie responded with a candid confession: she wishes she had never married.

She posted a series of Instagram stories detailing the abuse, including graphic images showing bruises on her legs.

“I survived being in an abusive marriage at a young age, but I don’t think I will ever recover,” she wrote.

The 20-year-old artist also revealed that the trauma drove her to multiple suicide attempts, sharing a photo of herself on a hospital bed.

She alleged that her husband manipulated her financially, coercing her into sending him her earnings from gigs; a total of R2 million over two years.

“He manipulated me and told me I can’t save money, I spend a lot, so I must send him my gigs money so we can save money to have a better future, and I did send him all my money for like 2 full years,” she said, attaching screenshots from her banking app to support her claim.

Rumors of marital trouble had surfaced previously when Jelly Babie hinted at leaving her husband just eleven months into the marriage, posting a photo of her holding her wedding ring with the caption, “Letting go of my shayla.”

Despite this, she appeared to reconcile with him, as she was later seen wearing her ring in multiple posts.

The Bacardi star and Koketso married in 2024 after her lobola ceremony, a union that faced public scrutiny because many felt she married too young, before fully establishing her music career.

Jelly Babie rose to prominence in 2023 through her association with the late Vusi Ma R5 and has since collaborated with popular artists like DJ Maphorisa and Pabi Cooper.

Her personal life has long been in the spotlight, beginning with her decision to drop out of school in Grade 11 to pursue music; a choice that first drew widespread attention.

Now, Jelly Babie’s recent revelations shed light on the struggles she has faced behind the scenes, highlighting the impact of abuse and the courage it takes to speak out.