Rapper AKA’s fiancée Anele “Nelli” Tembe has died tragically after plunging from the balcony of a Cape Town hotel on Sunday morning.
The 22-year-old fell from the 10th floor penthouse of the larney Pepperclub Hotel in the CBD.
Paramedics fought to save the life of the young woman but she was declared dead at the scene.
Her naked body was covered in white sheets as shocked family and friends arrived at the scene.
Rumours of a possible suicide swirled on social media. This after a video of Nelli allegedly trying to jump from a Durban hotel went viral on social media last November.
AKA had reportedly been helping her to deal with depression.
When the Daily Voice arrived at the scene in Loop Street on Sunday, the police had concealed the woman’s body with luggage trolleys.
Nelli was visiting the city with her fiancé, Cape Town-born rapper Kiernan Forbes, 33, who goes by the stage name AKA.
The pair, who had been dating for just over a year, got engaged in February and two weeks ago celebrated successful lobola negotiations.
The Tembe and Forbes families sent out a joint statement expressing their shock, saying AKA is “inconsolable”.
“We are still in shock and are dealing with our emotions, as she was an exceptional and gifted young woman, with so much life ahead of her,” it read.
“She had a sweet nature about her and was always nurturing to those around her.
“Her fiancé, Kiernan Forbes, is currently inconsolable and is surrounded by family and closest friends.”
They have requested privacy and time to heal.
UPDATE: Official statement from Tembe & Forbes family
— Kgopolo Mphela ☕️ (@PhilMphela) April 11, 2021
Anele Nellie Tembe, who was engaged to popular rapper Keirnan AKA Forbes, passed away this morning.
She was 22 years old. #RIPNellieTembe #RIPNellie #KgopoloReports https://t.co/WqKgxOVhVr pic.twitter.com/xSuUtai8QN
Cops say they have opened an inquest docket.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk says: “Cape Town Central Police are investigating an inquest case after an incident at a hotel this morning at about 7.45am on the corner of Loop Street, Cape Town CBD, where the body of a 22-year-old woman was found deceased.”
The Fela in Versace hitmaker had reportedly performed at a Cape Town club on Saturday night.
He updated his Instagram with videos and pictures of their Saturday afternoon and evening in Cape Town, where they were shopping and dining, and his last post of Nelli was around 1am on Sunday where they were enjoying themselves in a nightclub.
Just last night Nellie Anele Tembe was performing with Aka / kiernan forbes at Ayepi yepi 💔yhooo life 🥺 ... Depression is Real #Nellie pic.twitter.com/ZzoPMmfsY4
— mpho nkake 🏳️🌈 (@Mphossible_N) April 11, 2021
A security guard who was first on the scene says at around 7.30am, he heard someone scream and then a loud thud.
“I thought it was a car crash and we went to look and at first we didn’t see anything, and then someone shouted that there was someone lying on the street,” said the guard who asked to remain anonymous.
“We went closer and saw a naked young woman, she was still breathing at that time.”
Netcare 911’s Shawn Herbst says medics assessed the patient who had sustained critical injuries: “She was treated on scene by an advanced life support paramedic.
“While stabilising the patient, her condition rapidly deteriorated and she was sadly declared deceased on the scene.”
Pepperclub Hotel manager Efi Ella told the media: “At 7.30am I got a call about an incident and we subsequently called the police.
“The police are investigating, once we have more detail we will give it to you.”
Anyone with any information about this incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Nelli was the daughter of well-known Durban businessman Moses Tembe, and the sister of actress Nondumiso Tembe.
She was a very private person whose social media accounts were on private settings, although AKA would regularly post updates about their doings on social media.
The couple did not announce a wedding date yet.