Dr Tumi (Tumisang “Tumi” Makweya) is a renowned South African gospel artist, medical doctor, and motivational speaker, born on July 10, 1981, in Seshego, Limpopo. He earned his medical degree from the Medical University of Southern Africa (Medunsa) in 2006 and practiced medicine in both public and private sectors before transitioning fully into gospel music. His dual professions – medicine and music – position him as a healer of both body and soul, an identity further reinforced when he volunteered at Tembisa Hospital’s COVID-19 unit in 2020 amid the pandemic. He continues to serve communities through his private practice in Mabopane alongside his thriving music career.
Tumi rose to fame after competing in the Coca‑Cola Popstars in 2003 and later as the lead vocalist for the gospel group Intense. He launched his solo music career with the debut album Heart of a King in 2013, earning the Best R&B Gospel Award at the SABC Crown Gospel Awards. His follow‑up projects – including Love and Grace, Speak a Word, and the live worship series The Gathering of Worshippers – cemented his status as one of South Africa’s top gospel artists. In 2017, he made history by signing with Universal Music and becoming the first gospel artist to fill the 20,000‑seat Ticketpro Dome, showcasing his widespread appeal.
In his personal life, Tumi is married to Kgaogelo Makweya; the couple has three children and has navigated controversies, such as a brief fraud investigation in 2021, with grace and transparency, ultimately seeing charges dropped.
