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Babes Wodumo: 'To be a PK is not easy, Christians are always watching'

Babes Wodumo
Image: John Liebenberg

The pressure to live up to your parent's example is often harder for preachers kids‚ who are not only expected to be preachers themselves but are judged for every single thing.

This is something Babes Wodumo has experienced all her life.

Chatting to Bonnie Mbuli on Afternoon Express‚ Babes opened up about the things she's had to endure because she's expected to behave a certain way as a preacher's daughter.

"To be a PK (Preacher's Kid) is not easy at all. It is really hard because Christians are always watching... The other time‚ a woman in the church told my mother that her child said she saw me at the club. All I asked my mother was‚ 'what was her child doing at the club in the first place when she saw me?'"

As an entertainer‚ Babes' wardrope‚ song lyrics and even performances aren't often in line with how a PK is expected to express him/herself.

The Wololo hitmaker said the expectations and pressure that accompany the title "PK" were really unfair.

"It's not okay the way PKs are treated. It really puts a strain on you‚ others end up being chased out of the church and others even see their studies suffering as a result. It affects everyone too‚ like if these parents are angry at my actions‚ then they don't give at church which puts a strain on my family."

Babes said despite the outward pressure from the church and society‚ her family has been her biggest support structure in everything.

She said when she has to campaign for something‚ her father doesn't mind telling the church to vote for her or walking around in her branded merchandise because he's very proud of her.

Babes father has defended her before and speaking to TshisaLIVE previously he said he was usually just worried about how Babes would be misrepresented on social and mainstream media.

"I don't like it when media scrutinise and write bad things about my daughter. I told my daughter not to do any interviews and people should call me first because I'm the bishop‚" he said.

The bishop went on to take aim at newspapers with accusations of "spicing up everything".

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