Tembe Family Finds Comfort as Anele Inquest Resumes

The Tembe family says the resumption of the formal inquest into the death of Anele Tembe has brought them some comfort as proceedings got under way at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Anele was 22 when she died in April 2021 after falling from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town. At the time, she was staying at the hotel with her fiancé, rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, who was later killed in a shooting outside a Durban restaurant in February 2023.

Family chooses silence
In a statement delivered by Manqoba Zungu, the Tembe family said it had decided not to comment publicly on the proceedings out of respect for the legal process and everyone affected by the tragedy.

The family said it was reassured by the reopening of the inquest and had taken note of the evidence presented in court on Monday by the South African Police Service and additional witnesses.

However, relatives said they would refrain from discussing the details of the proceedings while the inquest is ongoing.

The family explained that public comments could potentially deepen the trauma experienced by those who have already endured the loss.

“The Tembe family is comforted by the resumption of the inquest this morning,” the statement said.

It added that the family had chosen to respect the legal process through silence, saying it would be inhumane to make statements that could further intensify the pain suffered by survivors from both families.

For now, the Tembe family says it will allow the inquest to take its course and place its trust in the legal process.