Witnesses heard screams, an argument and a loud bang before Anele Tembe's fatal fall from the hotel’s 10th floor

The inquest into the death of Anele Tembe began on September 7, 2026, at the Cape Town Magistrate's Court. Tembe, 22, died on April 11, 2021, after falling from the tenth floor of the Pepperclub Hotel. She had been staying there with her fiancé, the late rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes. The inquest aims to establish the circumstances of her death and determine if anyone is to blame.

Six witnesses gave evidence on the opening day, including two unnamed police officers and Robert Stefanutto, who attended to Tembe after her fall. One police officer stated that he and his colleague were dispatched to the hotel following a report of an alleged suicide. Upon their arrival, they found Tembe naked on Loop Street, where paramedics were already attending to her.

The officer entered the hotel and found Forbes and his entourage in room 105, rather than room 104 where the couple was staying. Forbes told the officer that he and Tembe had argued earlier that morning, and she had threatened to jump during the disagreement. However, Forbes allegedly did not believe she intended to jump. He mentioned a previous incident involving Tembe at the Durban Hilton Hotel on December 11, 2020, where she had tried the same thing before but didn't follow through.

Forbes informed the officer that police and other parties had been involved in the Durban case, but Tembe ultimately didn't jump. The officer noted that Forbes appeared "fine" after the incident, and people's reactions to such tragedies can vary. The inquest coincides with Forbes' own death in February 2023, when he was killed alongside his friend Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane outside the Wish restaurant in Durban.

Seven suspects were later arrested in connection with the murders, with authorities alleging they were paid R800,000 for their involvement. The trial for this case is set to begin in the KZN High Court in Durban from October 5 to November 8, 2026.