By Tamlyn Canham
Actress Nondumiso Tembe is heartbroken following the death of her cousin, Anele ‘Nelli’ Tembe.
Nondumiso took to Instagram on Tuesday to pay tribute to the 22-year-old.
“My baby, Ngiphelelwe amazwi – words fail me right now. We will hold you in our hearts forever. Lala kahle, mbali yethu,” she wrote.
Nelli died on Sunday morning after falling from the 10th storey of a hotel in Cape Town.
She was in the Mother City with her fiancé, rapper AKA, at the time.
AKA is said to be “inconsolable” after the tragic incident.
Nondumiso thanked the public for their messages of support.
“Thank you so much to everyone who has sent kind words of comfort for our family, ngiyathokoza kakhulu.”
Nelli remembered at family meeting
Nelli’s family and friends held a prayer meeting on Monday. According to Drum magazine, AKA’s father, Tony Forbes, spoke on his behalf.
He described Nelli as “kind” and “confident”.
Nelli’s cousin, Palesa Shabalala, described her as a go-getter and hard worker.
Her family also described her as a “gifted young woman” in a statement shared after her death.
“We are still in shock and are dealing with our emotions, as she was an exceptional and gifted young woman, with so much life ahead of her. She had a sweet nature about her and was always nurturing to those around her.”
Nelli and AKA’s happiest day together
The Forbes and Tembe families gathered in Durban two weeks ago for a very special day.
AKA confirmed on Twitter that he paid lobola for his fiancée.
He shared pictures from the day on his Instagram page.
— AKA (@akaworldwide) March 27, 2021
AKA’s father says the family gathering was a happy day for the couple.