Mourners have placed flowers outside Wish restaurant in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal where award-winning rapper AKA was gunned down.
Artists, politicians and fans arrived with bunches of flowers which were placed next to the entrance of the restaurant on Durban's Florida Road, which is famous for restaurants and nightlife.
DJ Tira, who has collaborated with the The World is Yours hitmaker previously, was among those who descended to the scene to pay their respects.
He lamented the high crime rate in SA.
“The state of crime in the country is horrible. Government needs to do something about our safety in the country. It is not about a celebrity but its about the safety of ordinary person walking in the streets. How safe are we,” asked DJ Tira, real name Mthokozisi Khathi.
“How are we going to get tourists to come to the country and spend their money?... If we're going to have such killings, that does not paint a good picture...Whether there is a minister of crime or what... but something needs to be done.”
Born Kiernan Forbes, AKA and his lifelong friend and celebrity chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, 34, were gunned down outside the restaurant on Friday night.
They had been in Durban to continue with the Fela in Versace hitmaker’s 35th birthday celebrations. His birthday was on January 28 and he had been having a series of parties over the past few days.
He was in Durban for a birthday celebration at Yugo nightclub.
Chad Saaiman, a member of Black Ties music group who were managed by Motsoane, defined him as a person who easily understood what people wanted with their careers.
“Tibz managed my career under ShowLove Entertainment, for a period, and we dropped my album Cinema together. I learnt so much from him about how to understand what people want and how they respond to what we give them as artists and creatives. We spoke for hours about music, branding, fashion, food and so many other topics that he excelled in. He saw great things in me that I still had to learn how to see in myself.
“He also introduced me into the music industry in Joburg, connected me to many people and always saw a way to make things work. Tibz was a man who always landed on his feet. A man who was so fluid and adaptable that no matter in which direction he chose to go, he did it with style, class and conviction.”
Music legend Mdu Masilela who was among the people that were recently hosted by the late chef said his death was a huge blow to the hospitality and entertainment industry.
“Tibz was down to earth. He loved finer things as you can see in his pictures and good food. He further loved to see people happy and enjoying his food. Recently, he hosted us with other people in Kramerville, Sandton. There were deejays playing and I was there as a guest, but I ended up performing because he is such a good person. I met him in this industry and he had love for the entertainment industry.”
sibiyan@sowetan.co.za
bambalelep@sowetan.co.za
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