In the wake of news that Anele Tembe (22), fondly known as Nelli, died after falling from the 10th floor of a five-star hotel in Cape Town on 11 April, social media users are remembering the love shared between her and fiancée AKA.
AKA, real-name Kiernan Forbes, is said to be inconsolable following the death of the love of his life outside the Pepperclub Hotel in Loop Street. The Forbes and Tembe family released a joint statement on Sunday, confirming her untimely death, and asked for privacy to grieve.
Paramedics arrived shortly after her fall and attempted to resuscitate her but her injuries were too severe and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
ALSO READ: New research shows South Africa’s sugar tax is having an impact
Timeline of AKA and Nellie’s relationship
The couple were outed in January 2020 when a video of them kissing at a restaurant began circulating. AKA thanked the person who shared the video on Twitter by saying: “That TMZ-style video someone took of me while out for dinner the other night was probably one of the biggest favours someone ever did me. Thank you whoever that was.”
He addressed accusations that he was cheating on DJ Zinhle, who is also the mother of his daughter Kairo Forbes, by saying he had been single since late 2019.
AKA didn’t waste time introducing Nelli to his fans, he posted a photograph of her on his Instagram feed on 26 January 2020 – which sent fans into a frenzy wondering who the beauty was.
A few months later, in May 2020, he posted another picture of the back of Tembe and a week later shared a loved-up post with #CrossMyHeart as the caption. They look besotted with each other in the black and white image.
A video of the two dancing in the kitchen while Tembe prepared food reached almost 500 000 views and Mzansi got a glimpse of the love the two shared.
She featured on his feed in several other posts, and it was apparent that he was head over heels in love with her.
On Christmas Day in 2020, he said all he wanted for Christmas was her – and also called her the love of his life and his ride or die.
It came as no shock, when only two months later, he posted a picture of a ring on Nelli’s finger with the caption, 21/02/21.
Dj’s, artists, South African celebrities and fans congratulated him and wished them a lifetime of happiness.
Tembe shared the same picture on her feed, saying: “Words cannot describe how grateful I am to be your life partner, even through the highs and lows, you have always stood by me and I thank you Kiernan Jarryd Forbes for loving me wholeheartedly and never giving up on us. Cheers to the beginning of forever. 4L boo.”
The couple got tongues wagging again a few weeks later on 27 March when AKA posted pictures of him suited up for Labola negotiations. There was also a picture of him and Nelli which sparked some controversy because of the way she had placed her hand on her stomach – stirring pregnancy rumours.
The couple spend the long weekend in April on the coastline, and posted a drone video wishing fans a happy Easter from a home along the beach.
In a comment on the same post, Tembe affectionately called AKA, “my bebbeyy”.
The last post of the two was to model Bhovamania merchandise a few days ago.
Instagram stories, which have since expired, detail their last day together in Cape Town on Saturday, 9 April. They lunched at the V&A Waterfront with two friends and later danced the eve away at Ayepyep on Kloof Street, with bottle service.
News of her death broke on Sunday morning. In the statement released by the families, they said AKA is surrounded by friends and family.
The circumstances surrounding her death are being investigated by police.
