AKA's father Tony Forbes has broken his silence on sharing never-before-seen text messages from the December 2020 Hilton Hotel incident.
Tony Forbes explains decision to release private WhatsApp messages from his late son AKA’s phone lawyer ahead of inquest. Picture: Instagram, @tonydforbes
Tony Forbes, father of the late South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, has publicly explained his reluctant decision to release private WhatsApp messages involving his son, his late fiancée Anele “Nelli” Tembe, and the Tembe family lawyer.
The texts, exchanged during and after a distressing incident at the Hilton Hotel in Durban in December 2020, have reignited public debate ahead of the postponed inquest into Anele’s death.
In a detailed statement shared on social media, Forbes addressed the ongoing speculation and allegations surrounding his son’s involvement in the events leading to Anele Tembe’s tragic death in April 2021 at Cape Town’s Pepperclub Hotel. He emphasised that he acted solely as AKA’s father to defend his name and memory.
“On Sunday night I reluctantly made the decision to release various WhatsApp texts exchanged between Kiernan Forbes, Anele Thembe and the Thembe family lawyer at some point. I did it as his father. Not Lynn Forbes, nor Steffan Forbes. I could not save him, but I can fight for his name and memory,” Forbes wrote.
“The texts in question were exchanged during and after the Hilton incident in Durban in December 2020. Over the years, I have generally not responded to countless media stories, political speeches and allegations that Kiernan murdered Anele. … To bring fact. Not speculation. Not to create a false narrative,” he added.
He further believes the released messages demonstrate that the texts support the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) earlier decision that there was no foul play. He highlighted contradictions with sworn affidavits and noted that these messages, which were on Kiernan’s phone, were surprisingly not included in the original case docket by the investigating officer.
Revisiting the case
Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and Anele Tembe were in a high-profile relationship. Ms Tembe died after falling from the tenth floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town in April 2021 while staying with the rapper. An inquest into her death, which had been postponed, is now scheduled for September.
The released WhatsApp exchanges reportedly include conversations from the earlier Hilton Hotel incident, where Anele allegedly expressed suicidal thoughts and threatened to jump. One exchange involves the Tembe family lawyer contacting AKA for assistance during the crisis. Forbes senior has stated that the messages also show prior discussions about Anele’s mental health, medication, and well-being.
AKA himself was tragically murdered in a drive-by shooting in Durban in February 2023 alongside his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane. Several suspects have appeared in court in connection with the killings.
A call to the public
Forbes concluded his statement by urging people to review the texts themselves:
“In short, the texts supports the NPA decision that there was no foul play. It also raises contradictions in relation to sworn affidavits in the docket. … Read the texts and decide for yourself.”
