At the funeral service of his daughter Anele “Nellie” Tembe, Moses Tembe said that she was not suicidal.
The funeral of Tembe, the fiancée of rapper AKA (real name Kiernan Forbes), took place at the Durban International Conference Centre today.
At the service, Anele’s father gave an emotional speech about the type of person his 22-year-old daughter was, saying she knew what she wanted and was clear on how she wanted to live her life.
He also spoke about how he approved of his daughter’s relationship with AKA and that he knew they loved each other dearly.
He spoke about narratives around his daughter’s death that have hurt him.
“I was not there when Anele met her fate last Sunday. I neither seek to attack any person nor cast aspersions or suspicions nor stigmatise any mental condition.
“However, I can’t allow an unfortunate narrative to go unchallenged. A narrative that irks me no end as a father, which maliciously pervades some circles, is that Anele, my daughter, was chronically suicidal or had suicidal tendencies,” he said.
He went on to say that until Anele turned 21, she would not have considered taking her own life as a solution.
“As Anele’s father, I hereby state categorically that Anele was neither suicidal nor did she commit suicide. Ladies and gentlemen, we need to understand the forces that put us in a situation that we find ourselves.
“Of course we must as a matter of extreme priority deal with the scourge that bedevils our youth, alcohol and drugs,” he said.
Speaking directly to AKA, who was seated in front of Anele’s casket, Moses said “Kiernan, I think I know what you are going through, I know the pain that you are feeling.
“In the face of extreme emotional pain, men and women resort to all kinds of remedies. My son, I invite you to turn to the Lord and in so doing, you will become a much better man.”
Anele fell to her death from the 10th floor at the Pepper Club Hotel in Cape Town on Sunday.
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.”
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.”