Prince Kaybee & others plead with tweeps to be kind in the wake of Nelli Tembe’s death

The tragic death of rapper AKA’s fiancée Anele “Nelli” Tembe has reignited conversations about treating each other with kindness on social media, especially about how the death of a person is announced.

The 22-year-old died on Sunday morning after she apparently fell from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town. The Tembe and Forbes families confirmed Nelli’s death through a statement on Sunday afternoon.

Before official confirmation of her death was received, Nelli and AKA were already topping the trends list on Twitter after parody account @BarryRoux tweeted “confirming” her death.

This triggered many celebs, including Prince Kaybee, who pleaded with people on social media to be more sensitive around announcing people’s deaths, especially when they have no authority to do so.

“If you wake to the news that I’m dead, I know nobody likes me, but please be sensitive to the reality that my family lost someone they love. No matter what opinion you have about me, I’m still someone’s child, friend, boyfriend, father and colleague.

“We really need to treat other people’s loss with caution. You can’t run your mouth as if you are immortal. Be careful,” Kaybee said.

Celebs Nandi Madida, Bontle Moloi and Boity Thulo also weighed in on the conversation, taking to their respective TLs to remind their followers of the importance of kindness.

Boity urged tweeps to reflect on their most painful memories and use that experience as guidance on how to treat others going through their worst time.

“Think about your worst, most painful moments. Consider how you would have wanted people to extend their warmth and kindness to you. Then do exactly that for the next person.

“The darkness on social media can be unbearably overpowering. Please let’s all choose kindness as often as possible. Please,” Boity said.

Choreographer Bontle echoed Boity’s sentiments, adding that compassion should be used daily.

“We know absolutely nothing about what someone outside ourselves is fully experiencing in their hearts, minds and souls. We don’t know what people have to live with, external to and within themselves. Please have compassion. Use it. Every single day. It’s so important to have,” Bontle said.

Read their tweets below:

-Times Lives