On Saturday, Moses Tembe, the father of the late Anele “Nelli” Tembe, expressed his family’s pain and shock over the brutal murder of Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, Nelli’s boyfriend. In a statement, the prominent businessman said:
“It is with the deepest shock that we’ve learnt of the passing of Kiernan.”
Tembe said as a parent, he felt “deep pain” for Forbes’ parents, Tony and Lynn, his daughter Kairo and the extended family.
“Kiernan was an extraordinarily talented musician. His music contributed meaningfully to South Africa’s rich musical tapestry. We extend our condolences to his extended family and his fans.”
Tembe appealed to the public “to show compassion and give the family space, time and respect on all platforms”.
In April 2021, Nelli passed away after falling from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town. The authorities were investigating the cause of her death.
During that time, Tembe informed TshisaLIVE that the family had chosen not to speculate about the outcome of the police investigation.
“We have our eyes focused on establishing the Anele Tembe Foundation, which we hope would benefit thousands of young women and parents.”
Tembe strongly reaffirmed his previous statement made at his daughter’s funeral in Durban, refuting the notion that she took her own life.
“As Anele’s father, I firmly declare that Anele was not suicidal and did not commit suicide. We must tackle the pervasive issue of substance abuse among our youth, specifically excessive alcohol and drug use. My fellow South Africans, it’s time to wake up and recognize the severity of this problem.
“I refuse to let an incorrect narrative go unchallenged. The idea that Anele was chronically suicidal is incredibly frustrating to me. I can say with certainty that until Anele turned 21, no one in her family, including myself, would have ever associated her with suicide,” he stated.