By Bahle Gama
AKA’s lifelong friend and Celebrity Chef and author Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane has been receiving tributes on social media.
Motsoane’s life was claimed in the fatal shooting that also killed rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes. In a statement, the South African Police Service confirmed AKA’s death and further stated that the second man’s identity was initially unknown, which was later confirmed to have been Motsoane.
Speaking to TshisaLIVE, ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said it was confirmed that AKA was with Tibza, “but we are not going to issue a statement in that area because we relied on information from the police. Our source tells us they were together.”
Also speaking to TimesLIVE ALS paramedic Garrith Jamieson stated that just after 10:15 pm on Friday they responded to a shooting incident where two men sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
“On arrival, paramedics met chaos and a scene where two men, believed to be in their late 30s, sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics assisted the men, unfortunately, the first male showed no signs of life and was declared deceased at the scene,” said Jamieson.
He said a second male was found in critical condition and died despite advanced life support intervention due to extensive injuries. According to TshisaLIVE, the third person who was shot is believed to be AKA’s bodyguard and was taken to a hospital in Durban.
Motsoane was reportedly not only a lifelong friend to AKA but also one of the people that initially managed the rapper when he first broke into the entertainment industry. Born in Katlegong, a township in Johannesburg, the brand strategist and author of The Colour of Wine: Tasting Change is reported to have always been an ambassador for good food and good wine.
In an interview with Sunday Times, Motsoane spoke about his love for food and good wine. In an extract from the book, Motsoane made it clear that he set out to break stereotypes about black people, luxury lifestyle and fine dining.
Tributes continue to pour for Tibz and AKA.
@lebolukewarn tweeted an old picture of the duo captioning it “from the beginning till the end, RIP Tibz & AKA”
Another @zola_hashatsi tweeted “just got word that Tibz also got hit. I’m crushed What a dope a** music promoter and all-around nice guy, all he wanted was to show love.”
RIP TIBZ
— Khanyi Honey🍯 (@Kayfelo_Moks) February 12, 2023
May you not be forgotten 😢
May the families of Tibz and Forbes find healing😞💔 https://t.co/ppw3BkRSSG
Tebello Motsoane got me to do those skits on AKA’s first album. He was like in the 90’s albums had skits. If He is involved in making an album it’s gotta have skits and that’s that. Thats how I ended up doing those hater skits on Alter Ego. RIP my brother
— Loyiso Gola (@loyisogola) February 11, 2023
