AKA withdraws from Joburg Day event and all other public appearances

Rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes has U-turned on his decision to return to the spotlight, announcing his withdrawal from the Huawei Joburg Day line-up and public appearances in general.

In a statement shared by AKA’s management team, The T Effect, the rapper said he would not be performing at events in the near future.

Pumza Nohashe, his publicist, confirmed the withdrawal to TshisaLIVE on Thursday.

“The hip-hop megastar has elected to take a step back from the musical eventing space because he is currently in a space where he feels it is necessary to place a greater emphasis on looking after his emotional and physical wellbeing.”

The statement added that AKA had decided to sit out live events and public appearances on account of the conversation involving him on social media.

“Furthermore, out of respect for current social media conversation about him, in the public domain, he has chosen to take the necessary time out for self-introspection and healing so that he can adequately address the pertinent issues in due course,” read part of the statement.

This after leaked video footage of an incident involving AKA and his fiancée, the late Anele “Nelli” Tembe, went viral, igniting speculation about violence in their relationship on social media.

Two videos of the same incident were leaked with News24 reporting one version showing AKA breaking through a door behind which Nelli was hiding.

TshisaLIVE is in possession of another video which a source claims shows the same incident. It shows AKA’s Bryanston home in disarray, with awards smashed and glass broken. AKA narrates in the background, claiming Nelli had tried to jump off the balcony. A Tembe family spokesperson would not comment on the footage.

Nelli died last month after falling to her death apparently from the tenth floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town. The circumstances around her death remain under investigation.

Read the full statement below: