AKA ‘still trying to make sense’ of Nelli’s death, in grief counselling

As he grapples to come to terms with “losing the love of his life”, rapper AKA is said to be seeking comfort in the arms of loved ones and is in grief counselling. 

The rapper’s fiancée Anele “Nelli” Tembe died on Sunday after apparently falling from the 10th floor of the five-star Pepperclub Hotel in central Cape Town. 

On Tuesday, AKA’s publicist Pumza Nohashe told TshisaLIVE AKA was “doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances”.

“He lost the love of his life, someone he had taken advanced steps, culturally, to spend the rest of his life with,” she said.

The couple were engaged in February and AKA apparently met with Nelli’s family a few weeks ago to start lobola negotiations.

Pumza said the star was “still trying to make sense of it all” and has his mother Lynn and father Tony by his side.

“The love and support of Anele’s family and a grief counsellor have also been some relief to him,” she said.

Nelli and AKA’s families confirmed her death through a statement, which also said the rapper was  “inconsolable” and surrounded by close friends and family.

Exact details around Nelli’s death are unknown at the moment but witnesses at the hotel described hearing a scream on Sunday morning, followed by a “loud doef” sound. They said they had also heard a man shouting.

Police have confirmed the incident is under investigation. 

Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst said paramedics arrived on the scene and found a 22-year-old female who had allegedly jumped from the 10th floor, landing on the road below.

He confirmed the woman was found naked by the first responders and that she was in a critical condition.

“When paramedics arrived on the scene, she had sustained polytraumatic injuries. She was in a critical condition and they started a full life-support resuscitation. Unfortunately, her injuries were too severe and she was declared deceased,” he said.

The Tembe family has yet to confirm memorial and funeral details for later this week.