Publications
Partners
- Melinda Ferguson has set the record straight on the involvement of Anele Tembe's father, Moses Tembe, in her book When Love Kills.
- Ferguson clarified that Moses Tembe voluntarily agreed to talk to the author, and he did not commission the book.
- The parents of AKA, Tony and Lynn Forbes, have distanced themselves from the book, which they labelled as "distasteful and opportunistic".
Author Melinda Ferguson has set the record straight on the involvement of Anele Tembe's father, Moses Tembe, in her book When Love Kills.
The book is about hip-hop star AKA, real name Kiernan Forbes, and his relationship with Anele Tembe.
Tembe died in April 2021 after falling from the 10th storey of the Pepperclub Hotel after an allegedly violent altercation with AKA.
AKA was gunned down in Durban less than two years after Tembe's death.
"Over the past fortnight, there has been much confusion around the participation of Moses Tembe, Anele Tembe's father, in my book, When Love Kills," Ferguson said in a statement.
"Moses sat down with me after I approached him to discuss the untimeous loss of his daughter and his deep grief," the author said.
Ferguson stated:
"Moses voluntarily agreed to talk to me about the life of his beloved daughter, Anele," Ferguson added.
Ferguson posted the statement on her Facebook page on Wednesday, along with a message.
"Ever since 11 April when the cover to my book was leaked I've been accused of many things... I'm kind of used to people having agendas... I know that eventually the truth will come out and I stand firm with my book," she wrote.
She continued:
"Yesterday, I sent a statement to a number of media houses to clarify the participation of Anele Tembe's father, Moses, in When Love Kills. Moses is aware of this statement and has given me the go ahead to publish it."
Ferguson told City Press in April that she had been receiving death threats after her book cover was leaked.
"I believe there is a nice campaign to discredit me. And I am not saying who it is, but there is something about the responses that I am getting that feels like, let's say, it is orchestrated," she told the publication.
"I would say it is an orchestrated campaign to make out that I am a liar, I am a bad person, I did not get permission [to write the book]," she added.
She continued:
"Which journalist has ever sought permission to write about anyone? No one does that. So, why must I then be discredited for not asking for permission to write what I believe is a story that is in the public interest?"
READ | Anele Tembe's family also distance themselves from Melinda Ferguson's book When Love Kills
The Tembe and Forbes families previously distanced themselves from the book ahead of its release.
AKA's parents, Tony and Lynn Forbes, released a statement on 13 April criticising the book.
"When Melinda reached out to us, we respectfully and rightfully declined to contribute to her book," they said.
"At this stage, we cannot give any further comment on the book as we are unaware of its contents. We do, however, find the intended publication of the book and the timing distasteful and opportunistic."
Tembe family spokesperson Manqoba Zungu also said they did not commission the book nor contribute to it in any way.
"The book is, therefore, Melinda's own view, based on her own research," he said.
However, the book does contain interviews with Anele Tembe's father.
READ MORE | Excerpt - 'To end her young life': What really happened between AKA and Anele?
