Moses Tembe: the South African businessman behind the headlines
Moses Tembe is a successful South African businessman with more than 20 years of experience. He sits on the board of several top companies and has won the Ithala Business and Investec Entrepreneur Awards. He received a lot of public attention after his daughter, Nellie Tembe, died in April 2021. Here are some interesting facts about the businessman.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Profile summary
- Moses Tembe's biography
- Who is the father of the Tembe family?
- How old is Moses Tembe?
- Educational background
- What does Moses Tembe do for a living?
- Is Moses Tembe a billionaire?
- Who is Nellie Tembe's mother?
- Who is Moses Tembe's wife, Princess?
- Who are Moses Tembe's children?
- What happened between Moses Tembe and AKA
- New twist in Anele Tembe's case
- Melinda Ferguson's book
- Moses Tembe's latest news
- Fast facts
Key takeaways
- Moses Tembe is respected by many for his thoughtful investment and contributions to key developments in South Africa, especially KwaZulu-Natal.
- The businessman is married to Princess Ntandoyesizwe. Her first wife, Lulu Msomi, died in 2014.
- His daughter, Nellie Tembe, died from injuries sustained after falling from the 10th story of the Pepperclub Hotel on Loop Street, Cape Town.
Profile summary
Real name | Moses Tembe |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 1963 |
Age | 62 years old (as of 2025) |
Place of birth | Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
Current residence | South Africa |
Nationality | South African |
Ethnicity | Black |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height | 5'9" (175 cm) |
Weight | 158 lbs (72 kgs) |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Black |
Relationship status | Married |
Wife | Princess Ntandoyesizwe |
Children | 5 |
University | University of South Australia (UNISA) and University of Cape Town |
Profession | Business mogul |
Net worth | $100 million |
Moses Tembe's biography
Moses Tembe is a South African business tycoon. He is known for his contributions to the development of South Africa's economy. Tembe comes from a humble background and has worked hard to achieve success in his career.
Who is the father of the Tembe family?
The late Anele Tembe's father was born in Jozini village, Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He grew up in Umlazi Township in Durban. There is no information available about Moses Tembe's parents or his siblings.
How old is Moses Tembe?
As of 2025, Moses Tembe's age is 62 years. He was born in 1963.
Source: Original
Educational background
He graduated from the University of South Australia (UNISA) with a bachelor's degree. Tembe also has a Bachelor of Public Administration and a Master of Political Science degree. He also earned a financial management degree from the University of Cape Town.
What does Moses Tembe do for a living?
Tembe is a businessman. He began his career in the meat industry, eventually becoming the proprietor of multiple butcheries, most of which were in Durban's townships. He proceeded on an expansion rage, not only in butcheries but also in other business pursuits.
The entrepreneur has served on the boards of several major companies in a variety of industries, including the following:
- Board of Durban Infrastructure Development Trust member
- Chairman of the eThekwini Community Foundation
- Co-Chairman of KZN Growth Coalition and Economic Council
- Deputy Chairman of Phumelela Gaming
- Director of Mazibuye Investments
- Director of the Durban International Conference Centre
- President of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Secretary-General of Inyanga (KZN NAFCOC)
- Vice-Chairman of KZN Business Initiative
Source: UGC
Is Moses Tembe a billionaire?
Moses is not a billionaire. As posted by Kasi Enterprises on X (formerly Twitter), Tembe's net worth is alleged to be $100 million. Moses Tembe's net worth in rands translates to R1,722,449,700. He owns Moses Tembe Investments (PTY) Ltd, which earns an estimated annual revenue of $2.45 million.
Moses Tembe also has other businesses in South Africa. Listed below are some of his major investments.
- Phumelela Gaming & Leisure
- Mr Price Partners Share Trust
- Elgin Brown & Hamer (Pty) Ltd
- Dynachem (Pty) Ltd
- Santova Logistics (Pty) Ltd
- Durban Infrastructure Development Trust
- Crescendo Venture Capital (Pty) Ltd
The South African businessman also owns various properties and luxurious cars. Moses Tembe's house is said to be in South Africa, and others are in the United States.
Source: UGC
Who is Nellie Tembe's mother?
The entrepreneur has been in two marriages. Moses Tembe's ex-wife was called Lulu Tembe, and they shared three kids: Anele, Vukile, and Nosipho.
What happened to Lulu Tembe?
Lulu passed away with rumours that she had taken her own life, but Moses Tembe's son, Vukile, debunked the rumours. Moses Tembe also denied reports stating:
My first wife died with the whole family gathered around her bedside. The rumour that came out about my first wife committing su*icide was a malicious story and only came out from ‘unknown sources’ after Anele died.
Who is Moses Tembe's wife, Princess?
After the death of his first wife, Lulu, Moses Tembe married Princess Ntandoyesizwe, the daughter of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini of Zulu. The tycoon has two kids with Princess, who are Mbali and Zomatanga.
Who are Moses Tembe's children?
Moses Tembe currently has four kids after his daughter Nelli passed away. The late Nelli Tembe's siblings are Vukile, Nosipho, Mbali, and Zamatonga.
What happened to Nellie Tembe?
The South African model died on April 11, 2021, from injuries sustained after falling from the 10th story of the Pepperclub Hotel on Loop Street, Cape Town. She is said to have shared the apartment with her fiancé, musician AKA.
Many thought that Anele Tembe's death was self-harm, but Moses Tembe's family accuses the rapper of pushing her down and refusing to attend to her when she fell and begged for air. In 2022, the family filed a report with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) stating that the rapper murdered Anele.
Later, on February 10, 2023, AKA and his buddy Tebello Motsoane, a chef and entrepreneur, were killed in a drive-by shooting outside the Wish Restaurant on Florida Road in Durban. This caused quite a stir since many claimed Moses Tembe and his family were to blame for his death.
What happened between Moses Tembe and AKA
In May 2021, more than a month after the tragic passing of Anele, Kiernan, AKA Forbes, held a tell-all interview with journalist Thembekile Mrototo. He opened up about the nature of his relationship with Moses Tembe's daughter and the events leading to her death.
AKA revealed details about not talking at Moses Tembe's funeral ceremony held for her daughter Anele. The businessman refuted the claims, saying the rapper did not seek a chance to speak, and neither was he denied an opportunity to deliver his message.
During the burial of his daughter, the businessman said that the late Anele did not take her own life and alluded that drugs might have played a part. Rapper Kiernan denied details of Moses Tembe's speech, revealing that he was aware of his daughter's suicidal nature and unstable mental health.
According to a report by TimesLive, before Nellie's death, AKA was already making preparations for his wedding with Moses Tembe's daughter. Both families had met, and lobola negotiations had already been done.
Moses Tembe has clarified that, despite popular belief, he had no ill feelings toward AKA up until his final day. Although social media users have speculated that the Tembes were involved in AKA's death, Moses Tembe clarified that he and his family simply wanted AKA to testify in court about the events surrounding their daughter's death.
He shared this during an interview with SABC.
It has always been critical for the family to have Kiernan in the box, whether as a witness or as an accused. For us, a proper closure required that the last person who was with our daughter be present.
Moses Tembe stated that he would not comment on allegations suggesting the rapper was responsible for his daughter's death.
Whatever people were saying later about him, I gave him the benefit of the doubt right up to the last day. I loved Kiernan so much. I kept on saying to my children, my parents and everyone who was affected by this. It's important to treat Kiernan as our own child so we can actually be objective as this process starts. I object to anyone who suggests that Kiernan killed our daughter. I'm saying we need to lead evidence, and the evidence will tell us exactly what happened.
New twist in Anele Tembe's case
A fresh investigation has been launched into the tragic death of Anele Tembe, rapper AKA's fiancée. Sunday World has reported that the investigation has been reopened after Tembe’s family made additional representations to the NPA, raising suspicions of foul play in their daughter’s death.
Sources revealed that AKA’s parents, Lynn and Tony, were notified by the police that the case had been referred back to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for reinvestigation. Although it remains unclear whether AKA is considered a prime suspect, the family’s lawyer has been actively pursuing updates on the case.
The reinvestigation follows a letter Tembe’s family sent to the NPA, challenging the decision not to prosecute. The family claims crucial evidence was overlooked, including a witness statement from Rob Stefanutto, who allegedly heard an argument between a man and a woman in AKA’s hotel room prior to the fall.
They also argue that evidence of blood in the room and marks on AKA’s back, possibly from a struggle, were ignored. The letter further accuses AKA of failing to perform CPR on his fiancée, leaving her injured for about 20 minutes before a stranger, Stefanutto, attempted to save her.
Additionally, the family alleges that AKA and his entourage continued to party at the hotel following Tembe's death. AKA's lawyer, Rudolph Baloyi, confirmed the reinvestigation but downplayed its significance, stating it was a normal legal procedure.
He emphasized that the inquest was not necessarily an extension of the investigation but rather a standard process and expressed confidence in the outcome.
Melinda Ferguson's book
Melinda Ferguson released a book in April 2024 titled When Love Kills, exploring the relationship between Anele and AKA. The book's description reads:
When Love Kills is the tale of hip-hop star AKA, whose life unravelled when he embarked on a relationship with 21-year-old Anele Tembe. When she 'fell' to her death from the 10th storey of the Pepper Club in April 2021 after a long night of heated arguing, details would emerge that they'd been caught up in a whirlwind of toxic obsession, alleged substance abuse and violence. Less than two years later, AKA was assassinated in what looked like a hit to avenge her death. This is their tragic story.
Moses Tembe has reportedly distanced himself from the book. A spokesperson for the Tembe family clarified that they did not commission or contribute to the book, emphasizing that it is based solely on the author’s perspectives and research.
While Melinda Ferguson claimed she had extensive discussions with both families and obtained their permission, the Forbes family released a statement refuting Ferguson’s assertions.
We are not in any way associated with Melinda Ferguson's book, and we do not endorse it. In the same breath, we distance ourselves from the contents of the book. When Melinda reached out to us, we respectfully and rightfully declined to contribute to her book. 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.
Ferguson revealed to The Citizen that she has faced criticism and threats following the release of her book. The publication comes shortly after the inquest into Anele’s death was once again postponed.
Meanwhile, five of the seven men accused of AKA’s murder remain in custody as they await their bail hearing. The other two suspects are still in Eswatini and plan to fight their extradition to South Africa.
Moses Tembe's latest news
More recently, the businessman was part of a consortium that was awarded a tender worth R180 billion to operate the South African National Lottery for 8 years. Tembe won the tender alongside Sandile Zungu, the owner of AmaZulu Football Club, through their company Sizekhaya Holdings.
However, the tender allocation process generated controversy as critics said that it was marred by nepotism and favourtism.
Journalism outfit amaBhughane broke the story, revealing that Bellamont Gaming, a company co-owned by Tembe and Bogatsu, held shares in Sizekhaya. Advocate Khumo Bogatsu is the sister-in-law of Deputy President Paul Mashatile. Tembe made the following statement to clear the air:
We are of the view that it is in the public interest to state that Bellamont Gaming, in which Adv Khumo Bogatsu and I are directors, hold one of the smallest stakes, totalling 7 per cent, in Sizekhaya. Adv Bogatsu owns 2 per cent, and Bellamont Investments owns 5 per cent.
I invited Adv Bogatsu on the strength of her qualifications and much-needed experience required to navigate the legal complexities of the industry to join me in taking a stake in Sizekhaya. This led to the formation of Bellamont Gaming, as a subsidiary of Bellamont Investments, which has been in business for years.
Fast facts
- He comes from a humble background.
- His daughter Zamatango Madondo is a successful entrepreneur.
- His daughter Nelli was 22 years old at the time of her death.
- He only has one son, Vukile Tembe.
Moses Tembe is a person who values family privacy, but her daughter's public relationship with rapper AKA and her controversial death have made them a topic of public debate for a while. Despite the prevailing situation, the business mogul's contribution to South Africa's economy cannot be overlooked.
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Source: Briefly News
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