Cruz Vodka Temporarily Stops Working With AKA Amid Public Scrutiny Over Anele’s Abuse
It doesn’t only rain but pours for AKA, real name Kiernan Forbes.
He has put his work with Cruz Vodca on pause amid public scrutiny and backlash over leaked videos of him fighting with his late girlfriend, Anele Nellie Tembe.
Anele died last month after jumping from a 15 storey Cape Town Hotel.
Weeks later, videos of AKA fighting with his girlfriend were leaked by Anele’s friend.
In one of the videos, AKA is seen breaking down a door where Anele was allegedly hiding away from him after he had banged her head to the wall.
In his defense, AKA issued a statement saying that the videos were leaked to push a narrative that he was an abusive husband to the late Anele and to push the police to investigate the death of his wife. And where bits and pieces of what his relationship was with Anele.
But women’s civil groups and some stars called for his cancellation.
They want his music to be stopped playing on TV and radio stations. To them, AKA is a public figure protected by his fame and has to be muted for abusing his girlfriend and possibly causing her death.
On that regard, AKA announced that he wanted to put a stop on some of the gigs he had been lined up on as his comeback.
One of these was the famous Huawei Joburg Day concert that he was supposed to headline on the 28th of May this year.
He annouced through T Effect, an artist management company that he was stepping aside from the concert to focus on healing and the current issues he was facing.
Today, it was also revealed that AKA had chosen to step back from his involvement, or working with Cruz Vodka.
Him and the company had been working together on the alcohol business that has one of its brands to his name.
“Having had time to reflect on the past few days, I have engaged with my business partners and I feel that it is best that I temporarily step back from my duties with Cruz Vodka as I need this time to focus on the way forward and deal with my personal matter.
I have done this for the sake of Anele’s memory which will forever be entrenched in my heart, our families and my fans. I am grateful to my business partners at Cruz Vodka for all their support and understanding of this decision to give me time,” parts of his statement read.
This is a second statement issues by AKA and his brand in relation to the leaked pictures and videos of him and Anele.
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