Conflicting Witness Testimony Emerges in Anele Tembe Inquest

The inquest into the death of Anele Tembe has revealed conflicting witness accounts regarding the moments before and after her fatal fall from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel on 11 April 2021. During proceedings on 9 September 2026, a hotel guest testified that he heard a woman scream followed by a loud bang. He stated that he saw Tembe lying on the pavement and then saw her fiancé, rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes, emerge onto the balcony a couple of seconds later shouting, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" This witness noted that he did not hear an argument before the fall, though another guest testified to hearing a woman shout, "Get away from me! Don't touch me!" before the bang.

The court also heard testimony regarding an unusual request made after the fall. The hotel's general manager and another guest testified that Forbes and his entourage ordered tequila shooters from the hotel. The manager stated that he instructed staff not to fulfill the order because he considered it inappropriate given the circumstances. Forbes was reportedly unhappy with the decision but did not become upset.

Forbes, who was killed in February 2023, had previously told police that he and Tembe had argued and that she threatened to jump, but he claimed he was in the bathroom when she fell. The inquest is examining whether Tembe's death was a suicide or the result of an unlawful act or negligence. The proceedings have been postponed until 19 October 2026.