Justice and Correctional Services Minister, Ronald Lamola, has conveyed his condolences to the family of well-known rapper Kiernan Forbes known as AKA. He was speaking at a South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) council meeting at the SABC in Cape Town. Forbes was gunned down outside a popular restaurant in Durban on Friday night.

The 35-year-old artist and his long-time friend, 34-year old Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane, were shot several times on the pavement in front of the restaurant’s doorway as they were walking to their vehicle. The gunmen then fled on foot.

VIDEO | Police cordon off the area where rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane were shot and killed. The pair was shot outside Wish’ restaurant in Durban. #RIPTibz #RIPAKA pic.twitter.com/jqSRpvw7W0

— SABC News (@SABCNews) February 11, 2023

Lamola explains: “If you commit a crime, you will be arrested and you will be prosecuted and convicted which is something that the entire value chain of the Criminal Justice system has to work on. With the high level of crime in our country that is the message that we need to send to all criminals and would-be criminals. I also convey my condolences to his family and may his soul rest in peace.”

Some of AKA’s family members and friends have made their way to the scene of the shooting on Florida Road, Durban. #RIPAKA #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/t1egsWdFd7

— MaMthiyane (@skhangiwem) February 11, 2023

Improving safety

Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government says it will look at ways of improving safety in the popular Durban nightlife district in Florida Road. This is according to the Department of Community Safety and Liaison’s spokesperson – Kwanele Ncalane.

Reacting to the shooting of the rapper and his friend, Ncalane outlines the steps the government plans to take:

“We are going to beef up the security plan in this area by working with various agencies. Metro police already have a satellite station in this area. There is already a patrol security company that is working in this area. And we will also be making sure the police are beefing up their deployment of personnel and equipment in the area. And their operations as well. But we will be working with the business community in the area, making sure that we increase vigilance and where they can support as well, support in making sure that at least we make sure that this road is safe.” – Additional reporting Dries Liebenberg

Adoring fans in Durban continue to pay their respects for the slain SA rapper AKA who was gunned down outside the Wish restaurant in Florida Road. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/XB1526nqFs

— Jayed-Leigh Paulse (@JayedLeigh) February 11, 2023