The February 2023 shooting of rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane robbed South Africa of a talented musician and a talented celebrity chef, but it also buried the Wish restaurant, the eatery where AKA had enjoyed his last supper and haircut before being gunned down.
Wish was shut down two months after AKA and Tibz's tragic shooting.
Wish on Florida Road, which was co-owned by popular Durban musician, events manager and businessman, DJ Benny Maverick, real name Philani Kweyama, was a popular hotspot in Durban's night-life scene.
Last week, IOL approached Kweyama for comment, but he declined to be interviewed.
Wish on Florida was temporarily closed in the days after the shooting, before it was announced two months later, that it would be closed down permanently.
Temporary closure
In the days since the shooting of AKA, management of Wish on Florida which opened its doors in 2019 announced on social media that the restaurant would be temporarily closed.
A statement following the incident said: "Wish on Florida Road has expressed its sincere and heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones after the deaths of Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane."
"We would like to extend our sincere and heartfelt condolences to both the Forbes and Motsoane families, and as such we will remain closed until further notice."
Wish forced to shut down
Two months after the incident in April 2023, in an Instagram post, Kweyama announced that the restaurant would be closing its doors.
"It is with great sadness that we announce the imminent closure of Wish On Florida effective 10th April 2023 – where we will be hosting The Last Supper."
"In light of the recent tragic event on our doorstep, we have experienced a severe downturn in business which leaves the directors with no other choice but to close the business permanently as the brand equity of Wish On Florida has been deeply hindered."
The restaurant also thanked the city of Durban for their support as well as the different brands and suppliers were a part of the Wish On Florida family since the restaurant opened its doors.
A fresh start after Wish
A year of the shooting incident Kweyama announced on Instagram the opening of a new Florida Road restaurant on July 6, 2024 called Maison.
According to the Maison website, the menu for the restaurant is Mediterranean-inspired menu that has pastas, seafood and flame-grilled steaks with a South African flare.
The restaurant also hosts events including live music as well as seasonal events to celebrate different occassions, such as Valentine's Day.
IOL