Nellie Tembe death: Police give update on investigations

The police in the Western Cape have wrapped up an investigation into the passing of Anele “Nellie” Tembe, the fiancée of rapper AKA, the whose given name is Kiernan Forbes.

However, the Tembe family and Forbes said they had not been made aware of the conclusion of the investigation.

Tembe died after she fell from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town. She was in the city to attend an event with the musician.

The publication has learnt that the police concluded their investigation in December and presented the file to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for a decision, which is yet to be made.

This is after the NPA had returned the same docket to the police in July last year, stating that the matter was a suicide investigation and what the police had provided had elements of suspicion of murder.

Western Cape police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said:

Kindly be advised that the investigation into the matter you are referring to has been completed. The case has since been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for a decision, hence the merits of the case will not be discussed on an open platform, in a bid to respect the privacy of the relatives.

NPA Western Cape spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila could not provide comment on the update in the case.

Tembe’s father, Moses, said the family had also not been given an update on the case. He added that the family had appointed an independent legal representative to focus on the case on their behalf.

“We are focusing on unveiling her tombstone and it is not a matter that we have been following closely. If there is a further inquiry to happen, it would be part of a process from the National Prosecuting Authority,” he said.

He added:

We have got somebody engaged and briefed to attend to all these matters, so we have not been told of these things. The person is a lawyer by profession. We are really trying to stress less about the process. None of this would bring back our daughter at the end of the day.

Forbes’ lawyer Rudolph Baloyi said they had found out through their own means that the investigation had in fact been concluded.

“From the onset, Mr Forbes places on record that neither he nor his legal team has received any form of communication from the SAPS/NPA since August or September 2021.

“It is important to note that Mr Forbes and/or his legal team have not had any contact with the SAPS/NPA since September 2021, but, through our own efforts, we were made to understand that the investigation was completed in late 2021 or early 2022,” Baloyi said.

He added that the Tembes deserved closure on the matter.

“They deserve for this matter to come to finality. Everyone who was close to Anele deserves that much.”

AKA Celebrates Nellie Tembe’s Birthday With Tribute Song

It is a very emotional day for Supa Mega today as the late love of his life, Anele Tembe would have turned 22 years old today. To commemorate her birthday, AKA released his single Tears Run Dry.

The rapper had teased before that he will be releasing the song months after Anele was laid to rest. But AKA decided to release it on her birthday, which is today, the 11th.

The lyrics speak about an ailing rapper who finds it hard to wake up without his bae by his side. He reveals that he dreams about her and when he feels the urge to cry, his tears always run dry.

“First thing on my mind/When I wake up.
I cannot feel sunshine with you not waking up by my side.
Nothing else can replace us. Try to break down and cry, but all my tears run dry.”

His lyrics continue as follows:

“I was you in my dreams
Not because I don’t want to link up with you again
But because when I wake up reality Is deep.
Check my phone I reach I could see usual routine
Damn, we had so many plans mfanagithi
And I call you that because you my bestie not my bi**t
When I got to bed you gon’ remind me brush your teeth
That’s my favourite version of you, you were just at ease
I found the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.”AKA

This is not the first time AKA felt some type of way after Anele’s passing. On Fathers day, he could not celebrate the day to his fullest because he thought about Moses Tembe, her father, and how he had tp celebrate this day without his daughter.

He spoiled Kairo to his fullest, but the thought of Nelli made him very emotional.

AKA had to relive this memory of Anele during an interview with Thando Thabethe. After he and Costa Titch released their joint EP, they were out promoting it. But to his surprise Thando Thabethe had to ask about Anele and he did not appreciate that.

Thando wanted to discuss the ‘elephant in the room’ and she did not beat around the bush:

“We have to speak about the elephant in the room…you had a sit down with one of our own Thembekile Mrototo a lot of people felt like you said nothing in the interview,” she asked. AKA said “so” and shook his head.

“Do you feel a need to say anything about the incident that happened?” asked Thando, but AKA told her it is not an incident to him but it is his reality. “You wanna call it an incident this is my life bro. To you it’s an incident,” he said.

“Speak to us about the experience,” said Thando, then AKA said he does not want to. “Is it something that you are never gonna answer?” asked Thando and then AKA said it is none of her business, in fact it is none of anyone’s business.

“It’s nobody’s business but my own. It is something that I am living with in my life, it’s none of your business,” he said. At the end of the interview, Thando gave AKA the middle finger, but high-fived it out and laughed.

AKA Pens Emotional Song For Nellie Tembe Titled Tears Run Dry

In the early hours of the morning, grieving South African rapper Kiernan Forbes took to social media to share a snippet of a song we think he wrote for his late fiancée Nellie Tembe title Tears Run Dry.

In the track, AKA opens up about how hard it has been for him to wake up with Nellie, not by his side. Although some parts were a bit harder to hear, check out the lyric to the song below.

Hook

First thing on my mind/When I wake up.
I cannot feel sunshine with you not waking up by my side.
Nothing else can replace us. Try to break down and cry, but all my tears run dry.
We left out some parts of the hook that were harder to hear. Check out the verse below.

Verse

I was you in my dreams
(Second line was unclear to us)
Not because I don’t want to link up with you again
But because when I wake up reality Is deep.
Check my phone I reach I could see usual routine
Damn, we had so many plans mfanagithi
And I call you that because you my bestie not my bi**t
When I got to bed you gon remind me brush your teeth
That’s my favourite version of you, you were just at ease
I found the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.

It’s important to note that transcription is how we heard and interpreted the rapper’s words. Because the track is not out yet, we cannot confirm the lyrics.
Kiernan recently made a return to social media since the untimely passing of his wife-to-be Nellie. Speaking to Journalist Thembekile Mrototo in May, AKA revealed that Nellie took her own life following an argument that they had.

“Got to the point where we argued more and the thing that really breaks my heart – I have my ring with me – it’s the only thing that I have of her belongings and she took it off and threw it at me. We said very mean things to each other and I left the room. Came back to her room because I had taken her phone.

“And things took a turn for the worst when we got to a point in the argument where Anele kind of threatened to kill herself. I had called reception for security and kind of tried to remove myself from the situation. And I think out of panic, I didn’t want to be there or feel that this was going to happen. So I went to the bathroom and when I came out of the bathroom she wasn’t in the room. And I looked around the room – she wasn’t there – I get to the balcony and I look down to the street, that’s where she was.”

Video: AKA reveals all in an interview – This is what really happened to Nellie Tembe

In an attempt to “tell his side of the story”, rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes sat down for an emotionally-charged interview with Thembekile Mrototo produced by The Bar Leader TV, which aired on Saturday night.

This was the first time AKA spoke publicly since the death of his fiancée Anele ‘Nelli’ Tembe. She died on April 11 after apparently falling from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town.

The hours before Nelli’s death

AKA recounted how after having a great time together during the day, he and Nelli decided to discuss some of the issues they had been fighting about in that week, with hopes to put it behind them so they could begin their new chapter as husband and wife properly.

“We sat down, we spoke and naturally we started disagreeing again, arguing and things got more heated – to the point where it went into the early hours of the morning…”

AKA claimed that things took a turn for the worse when Nelli allegedly “threatened to kill herself”.

“I called reception for security and I kind of tried to remove myself from the situation again – I think maybe out of panic – I didn’t want to be there so I went to the bathroom and when I came out of the bathroom, she wasn’t in the room.”

The rapper claimed he only realised what had happened when he went outside and looked over the balcony.
Past violent incidents, abuse allegations and those videos…

“I understand what it looks like and understand that it’s something I need to own up to… I can only imagine how I must have frightened her.”

When asked if he had ever hit Nelli, he replied, “No”.

“I would never abuse Anele. I treated her like gold, she was my everything.”

Claims of past suicide attempts

AKA alleged Nelli had threatened to take her life on previous occasions, but could not speak to why her father, prominent businessman Moses Tembe publicly denied that Nelli was “chronically suicidal” during a tribute at her funeral service.

In response to some of the claims made in the interview, Moses said they were a very private family and just wanted the space to grieve their daughter.
The question of drugs or substance abuse

“Have I tried drugs before, yes I have…” AKA said before refusing to say whether Nelli also took drugs.

AKA also claimed that during his relationship with Nelli he wasn’t abusing any drugs.

Watch the full interview below:

Speculation of violence in AKA and Nelli’s relationship began to swirl after video footage of an incident between them was leaked a week ago.

Two videos of the same incident were leaked. News24 reported on one version showing AKA breaking through a door behind which Nelli was hiding. Screengrabs showing him breaking through the door went viral.

A Tembe family spokesperson would not comment on the footage.

In a statement after the emergence of the footage, the rapper’s lawyer Rudolph Baloyi, senior associate at Mabuza Attorneys, said he wanted to curb speculation and assure Mzansi that AKA is apparently not a GBV perpetrator.

Nellie Tembe’s close friend exposes all

A friend of the late Anele “Nelli” Tembe has spoken out about abuse she suffered, allegedly at the hands of rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes.

She has provided police with a copy of a video Tembe gave to her in March in which Forbes can be seen breaking down a wooden door in their Bryanston apartment.

Forbes has lamented the fact that their “deepest troubles” are being used to fuel a negative narrative of his character.

Almost a month before Anele “Nelli” Tembe fell to her death at a Cape Town hotel on 11 April this year, she locked herself inside a room to hide from her fiancée, Kiernan “AKA” Forbes.

In images circulating the media, the award-winning rapper can be seen using his hands to violently break down a wooden door to enter the bedroom in their apartment in Bryanston, Johannesburg where Tembe was hiding. The incident is alleged to have taken place on 13 March.

A close friend of Tembe, who has now spoken out, says Tembe told her that Forbes smashed her face against a wall during a fight in their apartment after which she locked herself in the bedroom.

“She then sent me the video of the attack. AKA is so violent in the video that he breaks down the door of the room that Anele had locked herself in, whilst escaping his blows, with his bare hands. This is an attack that I want women to be shielded from,” the woman, who requested anonymity out of fear of intimidation, wrote in a statement to the publication.

Her friend has also provided Cape Town police, who are conducting an inquiry into her death, with a copy of the video.

She wrote:

In the past few weeks, following the passing of my close friend Anele Tembe, I have been meditating and seeking guidance on what it is that I am to do in order to exercise my rights and to deliver on my responsibilities as a young adult in a country that fails to adequately protect its women and girls. The responsibility that I have is towards the many women and girls in this country, especially young women such as myself, who remain impressionable.

“Anele Tembe, who was dating and later [became] engaged to Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes, was a victim of severe violence at the hands of AKA. Anele was on numerous occasions physically and emotionally abused by AKA. My beloved friend was a victim of gender-based violence (GBV). As women, we are too quiet about the abuse that is happening behind closed doors. We must speak out! I am today speaking out.”

According to the woman, Tembe recorded her fiancée, breaking down the door in their Bryanston apartment. He had allegedly smashed her face against a wall during a fight, and she ran to the bedroom to escape. Tembe allegedly gave the footage to her friend, who also came to her rescue after the attack.

Three pictures show Tembe in shock and pain after the alleged assault. She went to her friend’s house, who assisted by putting bags of frozen food on her bruises.

“Anele, on many nights, sought protection from those close to her whenever AKA, whom she said became extra violent whenever he had taken drugs, attacked her. We often picked up Anele from AKA’s house in the early hours of the morning following endless attacks on her by AKA,” her friend said.

She added: “Anele reported the incident to me. She then sent me the video of the attack.”

On Saturday afternoon, the publication sent questions to Forbes’ publicist, Pumza Nohashe, about the Bryanston incident and asked him why he broke down the door, whether he had assaulted Tembe before breaking down the door, and whether he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident.

A few hours later, without having replied to our specific questions or calls, Forbes released a statement on his social media pages, describing his relationship with Tembe as “beautiful, yet challenging”, saying he was aware of people who contacted the media in an attempt to influence the ongoing police inquest into Tembe’s death.

May 8, 2021
“As numb as I was at Anele’s funeral, I took in every word imparted, the direct ones and all those filled with innuendos. I will not be a part of speaking on or exposing our troubles as a couple, to defend myself from one-sided views that are portrayed out of their full context. Every story has two sides, and so does every video, image, and message,” said Forbes.

The rapper stated that he had no intention to discuss his “at times… tumultuous” relationship with Tembe.

“It is a sad day when I find myself having to speak of my relationship with Anele. What makes it even worse is the knowledge that some of the people she and I loved and entrusted with our deepest troubles are now using those as weapons to set a negative narrative on my character,” he said.

Following his statement, videos and a picture of Forbes with a bruised and swollen upper eye were leaked by a source who is sympathetic to him.

In one of the videos, taken by Forbes, Tembe can be seen sitting on the bedroom floor of the Bryanston apartment with her hands on her face rocking back and forth, saying: “I can’t believe this… I just want my mom, just want my mom.”

In the video, the room has been destroyed and glass shards, picture frames and books are scattered all over the floor.

Forbes can be heard saying: “Look at all of this. Somebody here is under the influence and tried to jump off the balcony. My ears are ringing. I think I burst my eardrum. I have a witness that witnessed that I did not fight back, and there is no fighting back from my side, and this is what it looks like. So when we go to court, I want people to see.”

A source who has knowledge of the video told the publication it was recorded after another physical altercation involving Forbes and Tembe in December 2020.

In a second video leaked by the source who is close to him, a man can be seen trying to restrain an emotional Tembe and calm her as she repeatedly screams: “You guys don’t know what he has been doing to me.”

Forbes’ supporters purportedly leaked the footage to show that Tembe was destructive and also assaulted him.

In November 2020, We reported that Tembe and AKA had been taken to the Randburg police station to open cases against each other, following an alleged domestic dispute. When the police had arrived at the rapper’s Bryanston apartment and found Tembe packing her bags.

In an interview with the publication on Saturday, Tembe’s father, Moses, said his daughter protected Forbes and that he was not aware of the specific incident involving him breaking down a door.

He said:

I am not aware of the specific incident, but some of the members of the family may be because Anele spoke a lot more with her sisters than her parents. To a great extent, she also protected Kiernan, so she never wanted us to know much about conflicts between them.

When asked if he knew about the alleged abuse and the footage Tembe sent to her friends, he said that “we heard a lot of stories, and some of them we addressed with the family, but for most, Anele kept it to herself”.

Details of Nellie Tembe’s memorial service revealed: Body arrives in Durban

According to a local publication, AKA‘s late wife Nelli Tembe‘s body has arrived in Durban as the family plans her memorial service and funeral. She was accompanied by AKA who is said to be “doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances”.

“He lost the love of his life, someone he had taken advanced steps, culturally, to spend the rest of his life with, so he is still trying to make sense of it all”

“The love and support of Anele’s family and a grief counsellor have also been some relief to him,” revealed his publicist Phumza Nohashe.

AKA had just paid lobola a few weeks ago and the two were well on their way to becoming Mr and Mrs before her tragic death in Cape Town.

At the time Kiernan Forbes took to Instagram to share the good news. Although he did not share too many details, he posted a picture of himself and for other men all suited up with a love and cow emojis as a caption.

In the comment section, Nellie wrote “My Husband” followed by a love emoji, to which AKA responded “My Wife”

Fans and other celebrities also flooded the comment section congratulating the them.

Radio and TV personality Scoop Makhathini wrote: “ OH sh*t!! that nigga really out the game..”

“Well done Mega…indoda inhle ngenkomo Zayo… I know you understand,” responded Magebankah

Thabiso: “A very good choice that AKA has made thus far.”

The pair got engaged last month. Announcing their engagement, AKA posted a picture of Nelli’s left hand on social media showing a stunning diamond ring, Nelli also posted the same picture on Instagram with a caption: “21/02/21- on this day I said YES to the love of my life & best friend. Words cannot describe how grateful I am to be your life partner, even through the highs and lows you have always stood by me and I thank you Kiernan Jarryd Forbes for loving me wholeheartedly and never giving upon us. Cheers to the beginning of forever. 4L boo.”

This was almost anticipated as AKA has shown he is ready to pay lobola with his hints on Twitter, last week he tweeted: “Quick question. What’s the going rate for a cow in ZAR these days, asking for a friend.”

AKA and Neli had been dating for a while now, the per went public with their relationship on social media after AKA’s 2nd breakup with his baby mama and award-winning DJ Zinhle last year.

A video of AKA and Nelli smooching in a restaurant made rounds on social media which sparked the rumours of their relationship. AKA, however, addressed the video on his Twitter saying: “That TMZ-style video someone took of me while out for dinner the other night was probably one of the biggest favors someone ever did me. Thank you whoever that was.”

The pair has since been posting each other’s cute snaps on social media.

?? pic.twitter.com/0G9ChsFNEo

— AKA (@akaworldwide) March 27, 2021

‘Nellie Tembe died while buying clothes for their wedding and AKA knows she was killed for rituals’

Nelli fell from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town on Sunday morning. Cape Town cops are investigating the incident.

The 22-year-old was the fiancée of rapper AKA, real name Kiernan Forbes. The couple had been dating for just over a year. The couple had been dating for just over a year.

Just as soon as the new broke of Anele “Nellie“ Tembe’s fatal fall from a Cape Town hotel, social media went into overdrive, speculating about her unexpected death with others even alleging that she was bewitched as she died while still in the process of buying clothes for their traditional wedding which was scheduled to take place end of this month, https://elegance7.com/ has learnt.

One Twitter user named Preshie went to the extremes and pulled a shocker when she claimed that Nellie was killed for Satanic rituals in the demonic world.

They had been in Cape Town for a gig that he was headlining, and had been spotted at the Waterfront earlier that day, shopping for clothes for their traditional wedding ceremony.

Another source also told Celeb Gossip News that Nelly was stark naked when she met her fate.

Police spokesman Captain Frederick van Wyk said Cape Town Central cops were investigating an inquest case after an incident at a hotel on Sunday morning in the Cape Town CBD, where the body of a woman (22) was found.

He said anyone with information about the incident should contact CrimeStop on 08600 1011.

In a joint statement released by the Tembe and Forbes families, they said they were in shock and trying to deal with their emotions.

“She was an exceptional and gifted young woman with so much life ahead of her. She had a sweet nature and was always nurturing those around her,” said the statement.

“Her fiance, Kiernan Forbes, is inconsolable. He is surrounded by family and friends.”

Was it really suicide? Authorities investigating circumstances around Nellie Tembe’s death

The Tembe family and the family of her fiance, rapper AKA, have requested that the public grant them privacy and time to heal following the news.

Authorities are investigating the death of Nellie Tembe, who allegedly jumped to her death at a Cape Town hotel at the weekend.

Tembe and her well-known fiance, Kiernan Forbes, who is better known as rapper AKA, had been visiting the Mother City.

The incident occurred early on Sunday morning.

The Forbes and Tembe families have requested that the public grant them privacy and time to heal following the news.

On social media, the recently engaged couple could be seen dining at the Waterfront and partying mere hours before news of her death broke.

Netcare911’s Shawn Herbst said that paramedics responded to a fall outside a hotel in the city centre shortly after 8am.

“Reports indicate that a 22-year-old female had allegedly jumped from the 11th floor landing on the road below. Medics from Netcare 911 and the Department of Health assisted the patient who was treated with advanced life support by a medic.

While stabilizing the patient, her condition rapidly deteriorated and she was sadly declared deceased on the scene.”

Witnesses who were staying at the hotel described how they had heard a woman screaming, followed by a loud “doef” sound — and then a man shouting.

A witness also reported hearing a man crying on Sunday morning, adding that the couple had been spotted the night before in the hotel elevator, looking “loved up”.

Police have opened an inquest.

Fan accuse AKA for being behind Nellie Tembe’s death

Authorities are looking into the death of Nellie Tembe, who allegedly jumped to her death from a hotel in Cape Town over the weekend.

Tembe and her well-known fiance, Kiernan Forbes, better known as rapper AKA, were in the Mother City.

The Forbes and Tembe families have asked for privacy and time to heal as a result of the news. On social media, the newly engaged couple could be seen dining and partying at the Waterfront just hours before her death.

According to Shawn Herbst of Netcare911, paramedics responded to a fall outside a hotel in the city center shortly after 8 a.m.

According to reports, a 22-year-old female allegedly jumped from the 11th floor, landing on the road below. Netcare 911 and the Department of Health medics assisted the patient, who was given advanced life support by a medic. Her condition worsened while she was being stabilized.

Meanwhile, fans come guns blazing to everyone who entertained the rumors that AKA pushed his fiancée.