Rap star AKA is gunned down and killed in South Africa point-blank shooting

One of South Africa’s most popular rappers has been shot dead outside a restaurant in the southeastern city of Durban.

Kiernan Forbes, known as AKA, was gunned down alongside his friend Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane on Friday, shortly before he was due to perform on stage.

Police said the men were walking towards their car from a restaurant when they were allegedly approached by armed suspects and shot at point-blank range.

The 35-year-old rapper won multiple South African awards, was nominated several times for a Black Entertainment Television (BET) Award in the United States, and was once nominated for an MTV Europe Music Award.

‘It is with extreme sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our beloved son,’ his parents Tony and Lynn Forbes said in a statement posted on AKA’s Twitter account. ‘Our son was loved, and he gave love in return.’

Kiernan Forbes, known as AKA, has been shot dead outside a restaurant in the southeastern city of Durban, his family said Saturday

‘They were allegedly approached by two armed suspects who walked to them from across the street and shot the victims at close range,’ police said in a statement.

The father-of-one was booked to perform at a club Friday night, according to Durban city mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda.

The motive of the shooting is unknown, and police are investigating.

Speaking to South African publication Times Live, paramedic Garrith Jamieson said: ‘On arrival, paramedics met total chaos and a scene where two men, believed to be in their late 30s, sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

‘Paramedics assisted the men and, unfortunately, the first male had sustained multiple gun-shot wounds and showed no signs of life and was declared deceased at the scene.’

Fans of AKA – who had 3.3 million followers on Instagram – took to social media to mourn the rapper.

One wrote: ‘One minute you’re here and the next you’re gone. Make the most of your time people, just like AKA did. RIP to the GOAT.’

Another wrote: ‘Brother thank you for the music and memories.’

A third said: ‘RIP AKA. The music industry in this world won’t forget you. You did great sir.’

The 35-year-old rapper won multiple South African awards, was nominated several times for a Black Entertainment Television (BET) Award in the United States, and was once nominated for an MTV Europe Music Award

Beauty Dlulane, who heads a parliamentary committee on arts and culture, condemned AKA’s murder, describing it as a ‘hit’.

She called on authorities ‘to protect South Africans from this new scourge of what seems to be contract and revenge killings where performing artists and DJs seem to be targeted’.

Last November, a star of the house music sub-genre Amapiano, Oupa Sefoka – known as ‘DJ Sumbody’ – was killed alongside his bodyguard in a drive-by shooting in Johannesburg.

South African gun violence famously claimed the lives of one of Africa’s most beloved international artists.

In 2007, reggae singer Lucky Dube was dropping off his teenage son at a relative’s home when gunmen shot him three times at close range during a botched hijacking.

South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates.

Many people have licensed firearms for personal protection and there are many more illegal guns in circulation.

Last year, the country recorded several mass shootings at taverns.

In the most recent such incident, eight people were shot dead at a birthday party last month.