The Tembe family says it has found some reassurance as the formal inquest into Anele Tembe’s death got under way at the Cape Town magistrate’s court on Monday. An AI-generated audio version of this story is also available.
Inquest begins in Cape Town
Anele Tembe was 22 when she died in April 2021 after falling from the 10th floor of Cape Town’s Pepperclub Hotel.
She had been staying at the hotel with her fiancé, rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes. Forbes was killed in a shooting outside a restaurant in Durban in February 2023.
Family chooses not to comment
In a statement delivered by Manqoba Zungu, the Tembe family said it would honour the inquest process and avoid public discussion out of consideration for everyone affected.
- The family said the reopening of the inquest had brought them comfort.
- Relatives acknowledged the evidence presented in court on Monday by the South African Police Service and additional witnesses.
- They decided against discussing the proceedings while they are ongoing.
- The family said further remarks could be cruel because they might intensify the trauma experienced by survivors from both families.
“The Tembe family is comforted by the resumption of the inquest this morning,” the statement said, adding that the relatives had taken note of testimony from the police and other witnesses.
It continued by saying the family had chosen to respect the legal process through silence and believed it would be inhumane to make comments that worsened the pain endured by survivors on both sides.
Further court dates scheduled
The inquest is due to continue on Tuesday and Wednesday, before returning on September 15 and 16.
