By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Forbes family has released the funeral details of the late rap superstar, Kiernan Jarryd “AKA” Forbes.
AKA was gunned down on Friday, February 10 in Durban after a night out with friends. He met up with a long time friend and former manager Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, who also unfortunately lost his life that same night.
CCTV footage shows an unknown gunman running up towards AKA as he was saying his goodbyes after a dinner with friends. AKA was shot at point-blank range.
In a statement to the media, the family announced that the celebrated rapper’s memorial service will be open to the public and streamed online on his AKAworldwide YouTube channel. It will take place on Friday, 17 February 2023 and it will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre.
To control crowds, limited tickets for the memorial service will be available on WebTickets.
AKA’s mother Lynn, brother Steffan, and girlfriend Nadia Nakai were visibly distraught and struggled to hold back the tears as the rapper’s father and family spokesperson Tony Forbes made a statement to the media on Tuesday Afternoon at Rockets Bryanston, an upscale restaurant and lifestyle centre in Bryanston.
Lynn and Nadia, who donned black dresses and black sunglasses, held hands and comforted each other with hugs and whispers throughout Tony’s speech.
“It is our wish to celebrate the life of Kiernan with those he touched and impacted through his gift of music. His memorial will therefore be open to the public as well as streamed online,” read the statement.
The family also announced that AKA will be laid to rest in a private provincial funeral on Saturday, February 18, 2023.
AKA’s family thanked the public for the support they have received. “We as the Forbes family would like to acknowledge the outpouring of love we have received over the past few days.”
“Kiernan wasn’t just loved by us as a family, but by the nation, as we’ve seen from loved ones, friends, industry colleagues, media tributes and the MEGACY.”
The family also thanked their extended family, the Mohosanas for the support. The Mohosanas family is DJ Zinhle’s (Ntombezinhle Jiyane) marital family. She shares a daughter with the late artist.
We’d also like to acknowledge our extended family, the Mohosanas for their unwavering support during this time, as Bongani Mahosana will be in absentia at the memorial and funeral due to observing cultural protocol.”
Tony went on to thank AKA’s friends, former Dream Team member Lusasa “Saso” Ngcobo, Don Design, and DJ Benny Maverick, among others, for being there for his son “from the start to the finish”.
Addressing speculations and conspiracies that have pinned his close friends as suspects in his death, Tony slammed the claims, revealing that AKA’s friends, who were at the scene, were left traumatised by the incident.
“We send our love and support to friends who were with Kiernan in his last moments in Durban and we feel their trauma and pain as well. Our home will always be open to them. We do not condone what’s been said about his friends and those making dangerous statements and we appeal with them to cease from doing so.”
Tony said while they were aware of the NPA’s declaration, their focus as a family now was to celebrate their son’s life and “give him a dignified send-off with as little distraction as possible”
The Forbes family also extended condolences to the family of Motsoane, who was like a brother to AKA.