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“There was blood found in the hotel room, which indicated that there was an assault on Anele prior to her killing.”
That chilling line, allegedly taken from a forensic report cited by the Tembe family’s lawyers, has reignited one of South Africa’s most controversial and painful celebrity tragedies — the death of Anele “Nelli” Tembe, fiancée of late rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes.
For years, the 2021 incident at Cape Town’s Pepper Club Hotel has been clouded by conflicting accounts, secrecy, and grief. But this week, newly revealed details have shattered the long-held narrative that Anele jumped from the 10th-floor balcony.
According to a scathing letter from the Tembe family’s legal representatives, TM Incorporated Attorneys, to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the evidence allegedly points to a violent confrontation — and a possible cover-up.
The family accuses the NPA of failing to prosecute despite “overwhelming evidence” indicating foul play. They now plan to take legal action against the authority, accusing prosecutors of deliberately withholding critical documents, including the police docket.
In the leaked letter, obtained by City Press, the family outlines several damning claims that cast serious doubt on the initial findings of suicide or accidental death.
The Evidence That Changes Everything
One of the most striking claims involves the trajectory of Anele’s fall.
“Anele landed approximately five and a half metres away from the building — a distance consistent with a person who was pushed,” the letter reads. “If she had jumped on her own, she would have landed roughly two metres away.”
The report also points to blood found inside the hotel room, suggesting that she was attacked before falling. Investigators are said to have noted scratch marks on Forbes’s body, particularly on his back, which the family describes as “defensive wounds in an upward direction.”
“The marks indicate that Forbes was carrying Anele on his shoulders while she attempted to defend herself,” the letter alleges. “The evidence suggests she was thrown over the balcony.”
Even more disturbing is the claim that Anele’s fingerprints were not found on the balcony railing — a finding inconsistent with the theory that she climbed over by herself.
The Ignored Witness
Another key element in the Tembe family’s case involves a hotel guest, Rob Stefanutto, who reportedly heard the confrontation.
“The lady, later identified as Anele Tembe, was heard desperately asking the attacker to leave her alone,” reads the statement. “Moments later, Stefanutto heard her fall. He then rushed to help and administered CPR.”
The family says Stefanutto’s testimony was never adequately considered during the investigation.
The Call That Raises Questions
According to the Tembe family, time-stamped hotel records suggest that the call AKA made to reception — which he claimed was to ask for security assistance — happened after Anele had already fallen.
“Video footage capturing her fall records a time that is prior to the call Forbes made to reception,” the letter states. “The evidence in the form of call records and video footage were shockingly ignored.”
During his 2021 interview with journalist Thembekile Mrototo, AKA insisted he was in the bathroom when Anele fell.
“I tried to remove myself from the situation,” he said at the time. “When things got heated, I decided to get another room. I left, but I came back to give her phone. We argued, and she kind of threatened to jump.”
But the newly surfaced timeline — if accurate — may challenge that version.
“Unbecoming Behaviour” After the Fall
Perhaps the most painful part of the Tembe family’s allegations concerns what they say happened after Anele’s fatal fall.
According to the letter, the rapper did not attempt to help his fiancée, even though she was still alive for nearly 20 minutes after hitting the ground.
“He did not go down to attend to her,” the family claims. “Instead, a complete stranger, Mr. Stefanutto, performed CPR and called emergency services in an attempt to save her life.”
The letter further accuses Forbes of cleaning blood from the hotel room and partying with friends later that night.
“Forbes partied and drank at the hotel with his entourage following the passing of his fiancée,” it reads.
The family alleges that this act, coupled with evidence of blood-stained towels, suggests an attempt to conceal signs of a violent altercation.
The “Underworld” Phone Call
Adding another layer to the mystery, the family claims that after Anele’s death, Forbes made a phone call to “a certain powerful underworld family in the Western Cape.”
The implication of such a link has alarmed both the public and observers, raising questions about whether the case was deliberately mishandled due to outside influence.
The Fight for Justice
The Tembe family’s decision to go public marks a dramatic turn in a case that had appeared closed after the NPA’s decision not to prosecute anyone.
The family insists that their daughter’s death was not suicide but murder — and they want accountability.
“The police believed that Anele Tembe was murdered,” former Police Minister Bheki Cele told Parliament in an unrelated hearing earlier this week, adding weight to suspicions that internal interference may have influenced the NPA’s ruling.
A Divided Nation
The allegations have reignited fierce debate online, with many South Africans calling for the case to be reopened. Some defend AKA’s innocence, while others demand answers, accusing the justice system of protecting the famous and powerful.
Meanwhile, the Forbes family has maintained silence, saying they are mourning Kiernan’s own violent death last year outside a Durban restaurant — a killing that itself remains under investigation.
As both families continue to grieve, one for a daughter, the other for a son, the unanswered question at the heart of this tragedy refuses to fade:
Was Anele Tembe’s death a suicide — or a murder disguised as one?
For now, the evidence emerging from the shadows points to a darker story — one that South Africa can no longer ignore.
