Simphiwe Ngema recently shared her experience of grieving her late husband, Dumi Masilela, while being in a relationship with Tino Chinyani, her baby daddy.
The South African singer and businesswoman spoke about her coping mechanisms while consoling Babes Wodumo, who mourns her husband, Mampintsha.
Responding to a fan’s comment, Simphiwe explained how she deals with the loss. “I do what she’s doing. Cry, text him, watch videos. It’s not something that goes away. You just learn to live with it. Days are different; some days you cry like it happened yesterday. Special days are hard—birthdays, anniversaries. Even 7 years later, it still hurts.”
Simphiwe acknowledged the challenge of grieving while in a new relationship but emphasized the importance of keeping grief and love separate to respect Tino.
“Honestly, it’s not easy. I try and keep my grief and love separate to respect him. Although he’s said I can talk to him about it, I don’t. It’s not fair on him. I’d rather speak to my family about it. I have to respect my new life and give it my all.”
Reflecting on her journey, Simphiwe added, “Whether I like it or not, the loss I experienced is in the past, and what I’m trying to build is my future. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I pray and keep moving. Life carries on with or without you. I’ve chosen to live and not be drowned by sorrow and pain. The pain will always be there. It shouldn’t stop you from living.”