- DJ Don Design described how AKA and his entourage moved about shortly before gunshots echoed outside Wish Restaurant in Durban.
- The testimony revisited those tense moments when people scrambled for safety and revealed the condition of those who had been shot.
- Seven men are on trial for the February 2023 killings. Four witnesses have taken the stand during the latest proceedings.
DJ Don Design has recounted the moments before Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane were shot dead outside Wish Restaurant in Durban on 10 February 2023. His testimony forms part of the ongoing murder trial in the High Court in Durban, where seven men are accused of involvement in the killings.
Don Design, who worked closely with Forbes, described how the group moved around outside Wish Restaurant on Florida Road on 10 February 2023, just moments before the shots were fired. According to his testimony, Don Design saw Motsoane following Forbes, along with friends he only identified as Siya and TK, as the group made their way around the area before the shooting.
It all happened in a matter of moments. Gunshots interrupted the group as people scattered for safety. Some ran into the restaurant as confusion swept through the scene. Don Design also shared that he could have been among those killed if he had been standing just a few inches closer to the people who were shot.
Panic and confusion after the gunshots
The testimony also revisited the immediate aftermath of the shooting. The group was confronted with the devastating consequences of the attack. Forbes and Motsoane both died in the incident. According to evidence presented during the proceedings, Motsoane was reportedly still alive after he was wounded.
The shooting claimed the lives of the award-winning rapper and his friend, who was a celebrity chef and entrepreneur. The tragedy sparked a major police investigation and led to the trial of seven men.
The court has been hearing evidence about the alleged roles of the accused and the circumstances surrounding the killings. The evidence from individual witnesses forms part of the broader case the State is building against them.
Evidence revisits AKA’s Durban engagements
The court also heard from Forbes’s manager about the arrangements that brought the rapper to Durban for performances scheduled for 10 and 11 February 2023.
The manager described his responsibilities, which included coordinating with the promoter, DJ, road manager, photographer and others involved in the performances. He also explained the security arrangements put in place for Forbes while he was in Durban.
A club coordinator also took the stand, providing more evidence as the court examined the circumstances around the group’s movements in Durban.
Seven men face charges over the killings
The trial is underway at the High Court in Durban, more than three years after Forbes and Motsoane were killed.
The accused are Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, Lindokuhle Lindo Ndimande, Malusi Dave Ndimande and Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande.
They face charges that include conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder, attempted murder and firearm and ammunition-related offences. All seven pleaded not guilty when the trial began on 5 October 2026.
Myeza also faces extra charges relating to a separate 2022 murder case, which the State says is connected by evidence. A request to separate those extra charges from the main trial has been considered during the early stages of proceedings.
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