Like the families of Kiernan “AKA“Forbes and Tebello Motsoane are finalizing preparations to say goodbye to the slain celebrities, the rapper’s fans, music industry insiders and others will pay tribute to him on Friday in Johannesburg.
Forbes and Motsoane, who had worked together in the past and been friends for more than a decade, were shot dead on Florida Road in Morningside, Durban, last Friday.
KwaZulu-Natal Police described the incident as a “hit” and events suggested AKA was the intended target. Motsoane was shot in the chest when two gunmen fired multiple bullets at the musician.
The killings have swept the country and have become all the more violent after murders surfaced and shared video surveillance Footage of the shooting on social media platforms.
The footage not only showed the violent and rapid nature of the attack, but also captured the strength of the bond the men shared as they embraced in a final embrace just seconds before bullets shattered their joy and ultimately ended their lives.
On Thursday, people gathering to honor Motsoane, affectionately known as “Tibz,” overheard him insisting on seeing AKA.
His friend Sthe Mabanga told mourners at a memorial service at Sacred Heart College in Johannesburg that Motsoane had flown to Durban to celebrate Mabanga’s birthday.
READ | Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane honored at memorial service: ‘You were and always will be poetry in motion’
Motsoane, a celebrity chef and entertainment entrepreneur, enrolled in Sacred Heart.
Mabanga said Motsoane spent his final days partying with friends. He reflected on Motsoane’s tendency to “ghost” him. However, he kept his promise for their last meeting.
“I spent last Sunday at Tibz in Cape Town with the other guys. We had the most incredible time. We stayed up. It was getting colder but we still wanted to be together and everyone said goodbye. It was a beautiful day,” said Mabanga.
Last Friday Mabanga wanted to spend more time with Motsoane but he (Motsoane) told him he had to see AKA.
Mabanga said Motsoane loved the rapper and often referred to him as his “child.” He said their final moments and eventual death demonstrated their bond.
“We were with them until they were taken around 03:30. It was an incredible experience, but it showed me the bond they had. It showed me the love they had. Tibz loved Kiernan. he loved him He always called him his child. If there was one flight he hoped to miss, it was the last one to Durban. If there was one thing he spooked me on, I wish it was that,” he said.
Forbes’ parents, brother and girlfriend, musician Nadia Nakai, also attended Motsoane’s memorial service. On Tuesday, Forbes’ father Tony told the media that the chef is a true friend who will be there for his son from “start to finish.”
A memorial service for Forbes will be held at the Sandton Convention Center on Friday afternoon. The two men will be buried in private ceremonies on Saturday.
Earlier, Gauteng’s prime minister’s office had asked the presidency to grant the rapper a state funeral. However, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office denied the request.
Gauteng Premier Vuyo Mhaga’s spokesman told News24 they wanted to hold a state funeral to honor Forbes for his contribution to society. His coffin would have been wrapped in the South African flag and a government official would have attended the funeral service. On Thursday, Gauteng’s Premier Panyaza Lesufi told Newzroom Africa Ramaphosa that her application had been denied.
In the week since the killings, there has been a clamor for answers, and the families, friends and public of the murdered men have called for swift action. In this search for answers, rumors and wild speculation have often been thrown around without evidence.
On Thursday afternoon, Moses Tembe, the father of Forbes fiancee Anele Tembe, issued a statement claiming he or his family ordered the murder, which called the two men “cruel and defamatory.”
Tembe said the allegations were “untrue and without substance”.
Anele was engaged to Forbes when she died after falling from the 10th floor of Cape Town’s Pepperclub Hotel in April 2021.
On Monday, the National Law Enforcement Agency (NPA) said it notified Tembe’s family in June 2020 of its decision not to prosecute her death. The NPA was investigating whether Tembe’s death was caused by “criminal conduct by any person.”
After the release of the NPA statement, Tembe family spokesman Manqoba Zungu said that they “decided not to focus on the NPA’s press release.”
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Source: https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/family-friends-and-fans-prepare-for-kiernan-aka-forbes-memorial-service-20230217
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