Anele Tembe inquest: Hotel employee recalls AKA’s reaction over alcohol refusal after fiancée’s death
· Citizen
A decision to decline to serve alcohol to late musician Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his entourage reportedly became one of the moments recalled in court as the inquest into the death of his fiancée, Anele Tembe, continued in Cape Town.
An employee of the Pepperclub Hotel was among the witnesses who took the stand during the second day of proceedings at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 9 September 2026.
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His testimony focused on what he encountered at the hotel after Tembe fell from the building’s 10th floor on 11 April 2021.
Tembe was 22 at the time of her death.
Anele Tembe death inquest continues
The employee reportedly told the court that he was travelling to work when he noticed ambulances outside the hotel.
He was subsequently informed that a person had fallen from the building.
He went to the 10th floor, where he found Forbes and members of his entourage.
The witness reportedly learned that the group had ordered alcohol – allegedly tequila and shooters – from the hotel; however, he instructed the staff not to serve them given the situation.
According to his testimony, the decision did not sit well with Forbes, although the late rapper was not upset over the refusal.
“He wasn’t very pleased with that, but I thought, given the circumstances, it was inappropriate,” the worker reportedly said.
The inquest also heard accounts from hotel guests about what they allegedly heard before Tembe’s fatal fall.
One guest reportedly described hearing loud noises and a woman repeatedly shouting, “Leave me, get away from me.”
Another guest testified that he woke at about 7:30am after hearing screaming.
The witness also claimed to have seen Forbes on the balcony after Tembe had fallen.
He reportedly saw Forbes looking down and repeatedly saying, “Oh my God.”
Tembe’s previous incident
Evidence heard earlier in the inquest also shed light on what Forbes allegedly told police after the incident.
A police officer testified that Forbes informed him that the couple had argued earlier that morning.
According to the officer, the late musician claimed Tembe had threatened to jump during the argument.
However, he allegedly told the officer that he did not believe Tembe was serious about the threat.
Forbes, the officer recounted, had mentioned a previous incident involving Tembe at the Durban Hilton Hotel on 11 December 2020.
“He told me he thought she was just playing. She was not going to jump because she tried that before in Durban.
“Maybe he thought it was going to be the same,” the officer testified.
Inquest postponed
The inquest is expected to hear from between 20 and 30 witnesses as the court seeks to establish what happened in the period leading up to Tembe’s death.
The proceedings have reportedly been postponed to 19 October.
The inquiry comes against the backdrop of Forbes’ own death in February 2023.
The musician was shot and killed alongside his friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, outside the now-defunct Wish restaurant on Florida Road in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).