'We cannot give up' — Mbalula pleads for AKA's killers to be brought to book

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has remembered late rapper AKA, saying justice must be served for the star's death.

The 35-year-old musician was gunned down outside a popular Durban restaurant in February. Celebrity chef and author Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane was also killed in the shooting. Two suspects have been identified but no arrests have been made.

Nearly five months later, Mbalula said police should not 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 said he missed his “brother” AKA.

Speaking soon after the rapper's death, Mbalula told eNCA, the Fela in Versace star was targeted. 

“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,” Mbalula said.

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, Lynn Forbes, said earlier this year she did not want to believe her son had enemies.

“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,” she told eNCA.

National police commissioner Fanie Masemola said last month police should be given space to investigate AKA's. death.

“We know who we are looking for and where we are going,” he said. 

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.