UPDATE: this is a developing article, and it has since been updated (Saturday morning, February 11) to rectify our earlier report, after police initially wrongly stated on camera that the man who was shot dead along with AKA (35) was his bodyguard. It has since been discovered that the man was in fact his close friend, popular chef and businessman, Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane.
Also note that contrary to several initial reports, the incident was not a drive-by shooting, instead two male suspects walked from across the street towards the deceased outside a popular Florida (Durban) restaurant as they were walking to their car, and fired several shots at them, killing them instantly. However, police said they’re “not discarding anything, since investigations are ongoing” and new, different findings may transpire.
Police confirmed shortly after the incident, news that South African rapper Kiernan Forbes, known by his stage name AKA, and another person, now known to be his friend, popular chef Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane (and not his bodyguard as initially reported) had been shot dead on Friday night by two unknown men outside a popular restaurant in Florida, Durban.
Two unknown male suspects who walked towards them from across the street are said to have shot at them from a close range, as the deceased were walking towards their car after having dinner at the restaurant just before 10pm on Friday, killing them instantly before they (the two alleged killers) “fled on foot into darkness” police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda was quoted as saying in the latest TV interviews.
“What we can confirm for now is that a well-known musician, a 35-year-old and his ‘bodyguard’, who’s said to be 34-years-old were shot and killed in Morningside, Florida road on Friday night,” police spokesperson, Colonel Netshiunda said at the time, in a viral Twitter video with content creator Adam Maina – shortly affter the incident.
“What we have for now is that the musician and his security detail were having super in a restaurant, so as they were leaving to go to their vehicle, two unknown men came from across the street and opened fire at them, killing them instantly.”
He added: “We will be investigating two counts of murder with the hope of finding the culprits and bringing them to justice.”
The devastating news comes almost two years after the highly-reported passing of AKA’s late fiancee Anele Tembe, who fell to her death from the 10th floor of Cape Town Pepperclub Hotel in April 2021.
Coincidentally, this shocking incident comes precisely a year since the tragic death of another beloved South South African rapper, Riky Rick, who died by suicide at the age of 34 on Feb. 23 (2022).
May their souls rest in peace.
