Tony Forbes Expresses ‘Extreme Disappointment’ After Madlanga Commission Shows Footage of AKA’s Final Moments. In a heartfelt letter that reveals the deep anguish of a father mourning his son, Tony Forbes, the parent of slain South African rap star Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, has criticized the Madlanga Commission for its “careless” and “insensitive” choice to air graphic footage of his son’s murder during public hearings last week.
Forbes, who has been actively seeking justice for AKA and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane—both killed in a brazen attack outside a Durban restaurant in February 2023—expressed significant disappointment in a formal complaint submitted to the commission on Tuesday. While he recognized the critical task of investigating corruption and criminal activity within South Africa’s justice system, he claimed that airing the distressing video crossed an unacceptable boundary.
“I cannot understand how the commissioners in all their wisdom have become so hardened that they would just carelessly display that footage,” Forbes wrote. “They could have shown a screenshot.” He criticized the decision for lacking sensitivity towards his family and compelling them—and the wider public—to revisit the trauma of the incident every time the clip of AKA’s shooting was repeated.
The footage was presented during the testimony of Sergeant Fannie Nkosi (sometimes called Witness F) on Friday. It was shown while questioning how the video of the murder had been disseminated. Forbes remarked that although the graphic content had circulated online soon after the murder on Florida Road, it had become largely inaccessible in the years that followed, making its sudden reappearance on national television especially shocking.
The Madlanga Commission, officially the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, was set up by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2025. Chaired by retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, it investigates serious claims of organized crime infiltration into law enforcement, prosecution, intelligence, and the judiciary. The murder case of AKA has become part of its broader investigations into compromised criminal cases.
For Forbes, the quest for a deeper understanding of systemic issues has collided with profound personal sorrow. “It was not necessary in the context of the line of questioning,” he stated in his letter. “The question was about why this video was forwarded. Instead, now, we must live through all of this.”
AKA, born Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, was just 35 years old when he and Motsoane were fatally shot in what authorities characterized as a targeted assassination. The rapper, who was in Durban for birthday celebrations and a performance, was attacked outside Wish on Florida restaurant. Several suspects, including brothers allegedly involved, are set to stand trial in the Durban High Court later this year on charges including murder and conspiracy.
