The long-awaited inquest into the death of Anele Tembe is set to begin at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court next week, with six witnesses subpoenaed to give evidence over three days of proceedings.
The inquiry, scheduled to run from 13 to 15 July, will revisit the circumstances surrounding Tembe’s death on 11 April 2021, when she fell from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town’s city centre.
Tembe, 22 at the time, was the daughter of prominent businessman Moses Tembe. She was engaged to award-winning rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, who was in the hotel room when she fell.
Her death triggered intense public scrutiny and media speculation, with allegations circulating that AKA had been involved in her demise — claims that were never tested in court.
Now, more than five years later, the inquest seeks to establish the facts around what happened in the early hours of that April morning.
Subpoenaed Witnesses and Scope of the Inquiry
Six witnesses have been subpoenaed to testify, with their evidence expected to shed light on key aspects of the case. While details of who will take the stand have not been publicly disclosed, the inquiry will examine the events leading up to Tembe’s fall and the findings of earlier investigations.
An inquest is not a criminal trial but a judicial process aimed at determining the cause and circumstances of a person’s death. It can, however, make findings that influence whether further legal action is warranted.
The proceedings follow a prior decision by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Western Cape not to prosecute anyone in connection with Tembe’s death.
Advocate Nicolette Bell, Director of Public Prosecutions in the province, previously announced that no one would face charges after extensive investigations by the South African Police Service and prosecutors.
At the time, Bell said the decision was based on expert opinions and forensic reports gathered during the investigation. Those findings concluded that there was insufficient evidence to pursue criminal prosecution.
Despite that decision, the case is now being formally revisited through the inquest process.
A Father’s Public Stand
Tembe’s death marked the beginning of an agonising chapter for her family, particularly her father, Moses Tembe.
At his daughter’s funeral in April 2021, Moses made it clear that he would not accept what he described as a damaging narrative surrounding her death.
He said he could not “allow an unfortunate narrative to go unchallenged”, which was that Anele “was chronically suicidal or had suicidal tendencies”.
Those remarks signalled early on that the family would seek to challenge suggestions that her death was self-inflicted, and they have consistently maintained that unanswered questions remain.
The inquest is likely to bring renewed focus to those questions, as well as the evidence gathered during the original investigation.
Renewed Media Attention and Tensions
In the days leading up to the inquest, public interest has intensified once again.
Tony Forbes, father of the late rapper AKA, responded on Instagram to a News24 video in which the media house announced it had obtained exclusive footage allegedly from Tembe’s final hours before her death.
According to the announcement, the footage would be released this week.
Forbes’s response was direct and emotionally charged.
“Bring it on News24 … I am determined not to be bitter for rest of my time. But don’t f*** with memory.”
His remarks reflect the deep sensitivities that continue to surround the case — not only for the Tembe family, but also for the family of AKA, who was himself killed in a high-profile shooting less than two years after Tembe’s death.
The Shadow of AKA’s Murder
Kiernan “AKA” Forbes was gunned down on 10 February 2023 on Florida Road in Durban, alongside his friend and business associate Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane.
The pair were standing outside Wish restaurant when gunmen opened fire. AKA had been preparing to leave for a performance at the nearby Yugo nightclub at the time of the attack.
Their killings stunned the music industry and the country at large, and the case remains one of the most closely watched criminal matters in recent years.
The murder trial of the seven accused is set to run from 5 October to 8 November at the Durban High Court. The matter was recently adjourned to 13 August to finalise a pretrial conference.
The accused are:
- Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, alleged to have co-ordinated the hit and received and distributed the payout
- Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande, extradited from Eswatini
- Malusi Dave Ndimande, extradited from Eswatini
- Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, alleged second shooter
- Lindani Zenzele Ndimande
- Lindokuhle Ndimande
- Siyanda Eddie Myeza
All seven face charges linked to the killings.
The convergence of the inquest into Tembe’s death and the pending murder trial of AKA has once again placed both families under intense public scrutiny.
A Case That Refuses to Fade
Although more than five years have passed since Tembe’s fall from the Pepperclub Hotel, the case continues to draw significant public attention.
The inquest will revisit forensic findings, witness accounts and investigative conclusions that previously led prosecutors to decline criminal charges. It will also provide a formal platform for evidence to be tested under oath in open court.
For the Tembe family, it is another step in a journey that began with devastating loss and was compounded by speculation and public debate.
For the Forbes family, it reopens a chapter intertwined with the life and legacy of their son, whose own death has yet to see justice delivered in court.
As the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court prepares to hear from six witnesses over three days, the proceedings are expected to be closely followed across the country.
The central question remains unchanged: what exactly happened in the early hours of 11 April 2021?
The inquest may not answer every question, but it will once again place the events of that night under judicial examination — and under the national spotlight.
