It was on this day, two years ago, when one of South Africa's most celebrated artists, AKA, was gunned down on Florida Road in Durban, sending shockwaves through Mzansi.
The entire entertainment industry, politicians, students, loved ones and ordinary South Africans, were stunned as the headlines streamed in, "AKA shot dead in Durban", the late-night press headlines churned on social media.
IOL was one of the first to break the story and at the time, initial reports from sources said the rapper was shot dead in a drive-by shooting, but this was later found to be a close-range shooting, with AKA's friend and former manager, Tebello Tibz Motsoane, caught in the crossfire.
AKA's movements that fatal day
On the morning of February 10, 2023, AKA, real name Kiernan Jarryd Forbes landed at the King Shaka International Airport in the north of Durban, ahead of a club performance at the Yugo nightclub, as part of his 35th birthday celebrations.
It was the first time AKA was scheduled to perform in Durban for at least two years, since the death of his fiancee, Anele Tembe, who fell to her death from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in April 2021.
During the bail application for five of the seven men accused of murdering AKA, the Durban Magistrate's Court has heard evidence from SAPS investigators, about how some of the accused followed AKA from the moment he touched down at the airport until he reached Florida Road.
The State has also alleged in court that a payment of R800,000 was made to one of the accused on the same day AKA was shot dead. A portion of the money, some R133,000, was also transferred to one of the accused - whom the accused said were employed as security guards. The accused has denied the money was "hit money", saying the money was for his mining-associated businesses.
Bank records, also have one of the accused at the same restaurant AKA had been at, through a card payment.
After touching down in Durban, AKA documented a lot of his travels on his AKAWORLDWIDE Instagram account, posting at a barber shop at the Wish Restaurant, where he had been hanging with fellow rappers, the Durban hip-hop group, the Dreamteam.
After snipping his hair, AKA then dined at Wish Restaurant for supper. He was with a group of friends and Durban entertainers, including celebrity chef Tibz, whom he warmly embraced with a hug as they left Wish.
How Tibz was caught in the crossfire
As the two embraced, with AKA's shuttle vehicle seen with the doors opened, one gunman approached and shot AKA at close range, and the rapper collapsed to the ground instantly. Another gunman further away, shot towards the direction of Tibz and AKA.
It is believed this was the gunshot that fatally wounded Tibz, AKA's former manager who had been instrumental in building brand AKA in the early years of the Supa Mega's rise to stardom, before he went on his own solo journey to become a celebrity chef.
Since the evening of the shooting, KwaZulu-Natal police sprung into action, but for months, there were no conclusive leads. The police top brass appointed skilled investigators to get on the case and they desperately tried to keep all new developments on the investigation quiet.
Police often denied allegations of new arrests or breakthroughs in the case, including an IOL report that suspects had been arrested in Cape Town in April 2023. The police vehemently denied the arrests in the press, but later, they admitted to initially arresting the accused on unrelated cases while probing further on the AKA murder.
However, in February last year, former police minister Bheki Cele revealed that significant developments had been made in the case with the arrest of suspects linked to the rapper's murder.
In a whirlwind press briefing, Cele told the media that police were able to track down and successfully arrest several suspects linked to the murders.
These arrests were effected between October 2023 and February 2024.
To date, police have arrested seven suspects in KZN and eSwatini; Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni and Lindokuhle Lindo Ndimande.
Two other accused, Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande and Malusi Dave Ndimande, were arrested in Eswatini. The two are still in custody in Eswatini where they continue to fight their extradition to SA.
The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed that the accused face at least 11 charges including, conspiracy to commit murder, murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and five counts of attempted murder. Additionally, the state has added two charges of money laundering.
The men have appeared in court several times and their bail applications were successfully denied by the court. The AKA murder matter has now been transferred to the Durban High Court, where it is expected to be enrolled for trial in May.
Last month, a fresh bail application by two of the accused was denied.
On Friday, the State served its indictment on the accused, essentially confirming that it has set out its case against the accused.
The indictment will further indicate what the State really thinks was the motive behind the murder and more importantly, who masterminded AKA's killing.
NPA spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara explained that the accused will appear in the high court on May 8, where the various applications will be submitted for a pre-trial conference and the trial itself.
AKA's dad happy with murder probe court progress
Speaking to IOL, AKA's father Tony Forbes, said he was satisfied that the case is moving forward.
"We are grateful for the outstanding work which the investigating and prosecutions teams have put in to get the case to this stage.
"Of course I wish that the extradition would progress faster but I understand the importance of following the right legal processes so that it does not come back to harm the case later," Forbes said.
"Finally, I want to express our gratitude for the amazing support which we have received over the last two years. It has been and continues to be very difficult to come to terms with our loss.
"The support and love we receive helps us so much," he said.
IOL