‘Leave me alone’: Witness recalls argument before Anele Tembe’s death
Witness recalls argument before Anele Tembe’s death as proceedings continue at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, where an inquest is examining the circumstances surrounding the 2021 death of Anele Tembe.
The 22-year-old died in April 2021 after falling from the 10th floor of the Pepper Club Hotel in Cape Town. More than five years later, witnesses are giving evidence as the court seeks to establish what happened before and after the fatal fall.
The proceedings have attracted significant public attention because Tembe was engaged to South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes at the time of her death. Forbes died in 2023 after he was murdered in Durban.
The current proceedings are an inquest rather than a criminal trial. The purpose is to examine the circumstances surrounding Tembe’s death and determine whether the evidence points to any person having contributed to it.
Anele Tembe inquest hears witness testimony
The latest Anele Tembe inquest proceedings heard evidence from a witness who described an exchange he allegedly heard shortly before the fatal incident.
According to the testimony, the witness heard what sounded like an argument involving a man and a woman. The witness then said he heard a woman shouting words including, “Leave me alone” and “Get away from me.”
The testimony is significant because it relates to the moments immediately preceding Tembe’s fall from the hotel.
The witness said the exchange was followed by what he described as a wailing sound before he heard a loud bang.
The evidence forms part of the broader attempt by the court to reconstruct the sequence of events at the hotel that morning.
However, testimony presented during an inquest must be considered in its full context. Evidence from one witness does not, by itself, establish exactly what happened or determine legal responsibility.
Anele Tembe’s death and the events at the hotel
Anele Tembe’s death has remained a subject of public interest since April 2021.
Tembe was staying at the Pepper Club Hotel in Cape Town when she fell from the 10th floor. Emergency services were called, but she died from injuries sustained in the fall.
The circumstances surrounding the incident have been examined through police investigations, forensic work and other evidence.
The latest witness testimony provides another account of what may have been heard in the period before the fall.
The witness’s account of hearing an argument and a woman shouting has become an important part of the evidence being considered by the court. However, the court must assess that testimony alongside other evidence presented during the proceedings.
The inquest is therefore expected to consider evidence from multiple witnesses, including people who were at or near the hotel, police officers and others who may have information relevant to the circumstances of Tembe’s death.
Pepper Club Hotel remains central to proceedings
The Pepper Club Hotel remains a central location in the investigation because it was the site of the fatal fall.
Evidence about the hotel’s layout, security arrangements, CCTV footage, telephone calls and the events inside the room may assist the court in establishing a timeline.
Witnesses who were at the hotel around the time of the incident can potentially help investigators and the court understand what happened in the minutes leading up to the fall.
The inquest is not simply focused on the moment Tembe fell. It also examines the events before the incident and the circumstances surrounding the response afterwards.
That makes accounts from witnesses particularly important.
The court is expected to weigh different pieces of evidence carefully rather than relying on a single account.
Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and Anele Tembe
At the time of her death, Tembe was engaged to musician Kiernan “AKA” Forbes.
The relationship has remained an important part of public discussion surrounding the case. However, it is important to distinguish between information established in court and speculation that has circulated publicly over the years.
Forbes died in February 2023 after being shot and killed in Durban. His death occurred almost two years after Tembe’s death.
The latest inquest proceedings concerning Tembe’s death are separate from the investigation into Forbes’ murder.
The court’s task is to establish the circumstances surrounding Tembe’s death and consider whether there is evidence that any person’s actions or omissions may have contributed to it.
What the witness said he heard
The latest witness testimony focused on sounds the witness said he heard before the fatal fall.
The witness described hearing an apparent argument between a man and a woman. He then recalled hearing a woman saying, “Leave me alone” and “Get away from me.”
The witness said the exchange was followed by a wailing sound and then a loud bang.
Such evidence can potentially help establish a timeline. However, the witness was describing what he heard rather than necessarily seeing the events inside the hotel room.
That distinction is important when considering the evidence.
The court will need to determine how reliable the testimony is and how it fits with other evidence presented during the Anele Tembe inquest.
Why the inquest was reopened
The National Prosecuting Authority previously decided not to prosecute anyone in connection with Anele Tembe’s death.
The matter was subsequently referred for an inquest.
An inquest is designed to establish the circumstances surrounding a person’s death and determine whether there are findings that may require further legal consideration.
It does not automatically mean that someone will be found criminally responsible.
The evidence presented during the current proceedings could nevertheless provide additional detail about the circumstances surrounding Tembe’s final hours.
The court’s findings will depend on the evidence ultimately placed before it.
Court restrictions on visuals
The proceedings have also attracted attention because of restrictions surrounding the use of courtroom visuals.
Media organisations covering the Anele Tembe inquest have indicated that their ability to broadcast images from inside the proceedings is limited by court restrictions.
This means audiences may not see the same range of courtroom footage that is sometimes available during other high-profile proceedings.
The restrictions do not prevent journalists from reporting on evidence heard in court, subject to the court’s rules and applicable legal requirements.
As the proceedings continue, media reports are expected to focus primarily on testimony and developments permitted for publication.
What happens next?
The court is expected to hear further evidence as the inquest continues.
Additional witness testimony could provide information about the circumstances before, during and after Tembe’s fall.
The evidence already heard, including the account of an argument and the words allegedly shouted by a woman, will form part of the wider body of information the court must consider.
It remains important for the public to avoid treating individual allegations or witness accounts as final findings.
The inquest has not established through this testimony alone exactly what happened to Tembe or whether another person was responsible for her death.
YOU MAY LIKE:
A case still under examination
The latest Anele Tembe inquest has once again placed the circumstances surrounding the 22-year-old’s death under public scrutiny.
The account from the witness who recalled hearing “Leave me alone” and “Get away from me” provides the court with evidence about what may have occurred shortly before the fatal fall from the Pepper Club Hotel.
However, the court will have to consider this testimony together with all other evidence before reaching its conclusions.
For the family, friends and those who followed the case, the continuing proceedings represent an opportunity for the circumstances surrounding Anele Tembe’s death to be examined formally.
The involvement of Kiernan “AKA” Forbes in the events leading up to Tembe’s death has also ensured continued public interest, but the court’s findings must ultimately be based on evidence rather than speculation.
Proceedings in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court are continuing, with further evidence expected as the inquest seeks to establish the circumstances surrounding Tembe’s death.
Mainstream Media References
- eNCA — “‘Leave me alone’: Witness recalls argument before Anele Tembe’s death”
Read the eNCA report - TimesLIVE — “‘Leave me alone, get away from me’: witness recalls screams before Anele Tembe’s fatal fall”
Read the TimesLIVE report - SABC News — “Witnesses take stand in Anele Tembe’s death inquest”
Read the SABC News report - Daily Maverick — “‘She blinked at me’ — witness recounts finding Anele Tembe alive after fall”
Read the Daily Maverick report
Support Independent Journalism with eKayNews! 📰✨
At eKayNews, we are dedicated to bringing you honest, independent, and reliable news. But we can’t do it alone—independent journalism relies on the strength and generosity of its community.
If you value our work, please consider supporting us today! You can help keep us going by choosing a subscription or simply buying us a one-off virtual coffee:
👉 Support us here: ekaynews.co.za/subscribe-form/
You can also support our mission by visiting our main site at www.ekaynews.co.za and following @eKayNews on all social media platforms.
Thank you so much for your incredible generosity and for being part of our journey! 🙏💙
