Up to the moment she allegedly plunged the knife into his heart, Nkululeko "Flabba" Habedi regarded Sindi Manqele as the love of his life.

In December, when she returned from studies in Ireland, the Skwatta Kamp rapper fetched her from the airport and she took him home to meet her father, a retired policeman.

The musician's longtime friend, Nkuli Chauke, who accompanied him to a function on Sunday night, was among those baffled by the tragic incident.

Chauke couldn't believe what had happened because the 37-year-old rapper and Manqele appeared happy after they returned from a Sandton club early on Monday.

"Even after he dropped me off, we were joking around at my gate ... it had been a proper fun night," said Chauke.

He said the couple met at a braai about a year ago and had a "good" relationship.

"He was happy in that relationship. It was no secret - he had it all over social media, his Instagram and Facebook page. He was happy, it was a good relationship," said Chauke .

Manqele's father, Themba Manqele, 66, yesterday said he was shocked after being called to the Alexandra police station in connection with his daughter's arrest.

During their conversation, he said his daughter told him of a disagreement she had had with Habedi.

"Sindi said they had a disagreement and somehow a struggle for a knife ensued," he said. "She also showed me her stitches on both arms, and that's how she also got injured."

He said she had brought Habedi to the family's Birch Acres home on December 24. "She just said 'Dad, this is my friend Flabba' as he was carrying her suitcase ... I even joked with him."

Manqele, 26, is studying economics and working part-time in Dublin. She has been based in the Irish city since 2011.

Manqele's father said she left home on Friday evening, saying she was going out with friends and would return on Monday.

Habedi's family said the couple seemed happy when they arrived at his Alexandra home on Monday morning. His brother Tshepang, who was present when he died, said: "They came home with takeaways from McDonald's."

Around 1am, Habedi, wearing a white T-shirt and black jeans, joined two of his cousins outside for a smoke. One of them, Mpho Motsoari, said the artist said to him: "My girlfriend and I aren't on good terms right now, but it's not a big issue, I will tell you later."

He then tried to go into his room - one of several outside quarters on the property - but Manqele had locked the door. "He stood at the door begging her to open," said Motsoari.

"He smiled as she let him back in.

"After a little while, Sindi came out screaming for help. We rushed into the room and he was lying in a pool of blood," said Motsoari.

Manqele was crying uncontrollably at that point and seemed to be in a state of "disbelief".

Tshepang was frantically trying to stop the bleeding from his brother's chest, using a cloth, but Habedi died before the ambulance arrived.

Manqele appeared briefly in the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, but was not asked to plead, and is scheduled to return tomorrow for a bail application.

Her lawyer, Amanda Vilakazi, told the court her client had sustained injuries that included cuts on her arm and stomach.