Moses Tembe, father of late Anele Tembe, who was forced to issue a statement begging people to stop accusing him and his family of the hit on Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, has nothing to say about arrests this week in connection with the killing last February.
AKA and his friend, popular chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, were shot dead on the pavement as they were leaving Wish on Florida Road in Durban on February 10.
KwaZulu-Natal police on Tuesday said six people linked to the murders had been arrested. A seventh suspect — who was on the run — was arrested on Wednesday.
The recent arrests included two suspects arrested in Eswatini on Saturday.
It is with grave concern that my family and I have had to endure a flurry of posts on various social media platforms that accuse me, and members of my family, of being involved in the death of Kiernan Forbes. These accusations are untrue and without substance.
— Moses Tembe
Five suspects will appear in the Durban magistrate’s court on Thursday.
Shortly after the Florida Road shootings, Tembe, whose daughter Anele was AKA’s fiancée at the time of her death, said his family was affected by the continuous accusatory posts.
“It is with grave concern that my family and I have had to endure a flurry of posts on various social media platforms that accuse me, and members of my family, of being involved in the death of Kiernan Forbes. These accusations are untrue and without substance,” he said.
Tembe slammed the slander he and his family has endured.
“I categorically state that my family feel the pain of the Forbes family and would never be involved in an abhorrent act of this nature.
“While I value the principle of freedom of speech, these cruel and libellous utterances inflict personal and emotional harm on us. After having to deal with the tragedy of the untimely passing of our daughter, this senseless crime has taken a further emotional toll on us. I respectfully request the individuals making these baseless statements to refrain from doing so.”
On Wednesday he referred all queries from TimesLIVE Premium to family spokesperson Manqoba Zulu, saying he would “be available only after the inquest has been completed”.
His daughter died in April 2021 after falling to her death apparently from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town.
While Tembe said the family had “decided not to speculate about police inquiry findings”, contents of a letter to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) — which declined to prosecute anyone for her death — revealed how the Tembe family suspected the rapper of foul play.
According to media reports, the family said in a letter through their lawyer they believed she was pushed off the balcony and reiterated their stance she was not suicidal.
Tembe said he stood by his statement, read out at his daughter’s funeral in Durban, in which he rubbished speculation she was suicidal.
Zulu said the family had no comment with regard to the arrests this week.
Western Cape media spokesperson Capt Frederick Van Wyk said: “Please be advised the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Anele Tembe was never closed and is still an active investigation. The matter is scheduled for a formal inquest at the Cape Town magistrate’s court from April 15.
“The investigation has been completed. The family of Anele Tembe has been updated constantly of the progress made in the case. To date the investigating officer remains in contact with the family.”
Last month the Tembe family opened a library in her honour at her former high school Durban Girls’ College.
At the time, her brother Vukile said processing her death wasn’t an easy journey.
“Over the [past] three years it’s been a process of healing, leaning towards God and doing activities that will bring us ease — prayer, exercising, with supportive family members and friends, therefore thankful for family support and friends,” he said.
Additional reporting by Suthentira Govender
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