ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has spoken out about the death of late rapper AKA, calling for justice to be served.
The Tragic Incident
In February, the 35-year-old musician was gunned down outside a popular Durban restaurant. Celebrity chef and author Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane was also killed in the shooting. Two suspects have been identified, but no arrests have been made.
Mbalula’s Call for Justice
Nearly five months after the incident, Mbalula has urged the police not to let the case go cold. Posting a picture of a fan wearing an AKA mural on his jacket, Mbalula said: “His killers must be found. We cannot give up on this.” He also expressed that he missed his “brother” AKA.
Mbalula’s Previous Comments
Speaking soon after the rapper’s death, Mbalula told eNCA that the Fela in Versace star was targeted. He said, “We can’t make speculations at the moment, but what we know and have seen is it was a hit, AKA was assassinated. We believe in the capacity of the police to dig deep and get the killers. Also get to the bottom of why [the motive]. He wasn’t a drug lord, he was a musician.”
AKA’s Praise for Mbalula
Two years ago, AKA hailed Mbalula as a force to be reckoned with, calling him “one of the best leaders” South Africa had ever had.
AKA’s Mother Speaks Out
AKA’s mother, Lynn Forbes, said earlier this year that she did not want to believe her son had enemies. She told eNCA, “I don’t want to believe somebody would’ve hated him that much. I don’t know if it was hate. Even if somebody disliked him, I don’t know if it would’ve been enough to plan, calculate and discuss how to take him out.”
Police Investigation
National police commissioner Fanie Masemola said last month that police should be given space to investigate AKA’s death. He stated, “We know who we are looking for and where we are going.”