'Killing my son caused the death of my wife’ - Tibz' Motsoane's father

'Killing my son caused the death of my wife’ - Tibz' Motsoane's father Zandile.Khumalo Mon, 10/05/2026 - 19:00

Sylvester Motsoane

DURBAN - Almost three years after the fatal shooting of rapper Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes and his close friend Tebello 'Tibz' Motsoane, the seven men accused of the murder are set to stand trial.

The trial, expected to begin on Tuesday, marks a significant moment for the families of the two men.

Among those who will be watching the case closely is Motsoane’s father, Sylvester Motsoane, who said having his son’s killer identified would help him begin to find closure.

**READ | **Seven accused in AKA murder case plead not guilty

Sylvester said the death of his son still cuts deep because right after that tragic incident he suffered another devastating blow: the death of his wife just eight months later after suffering a heart attack.

“Killing my son cost the death of my wife… I was shattered. I was a wreck. I don't know how I managed to be like this today,” he said.

The announcement of the trial date came on Monday when the seven men appeared before court.

READ |AKA and Tibz murder trial: The long road to justice

For Sylvester, the day felt heavier because this was the day his wife died.

With the matter now set for trial, he hopes that justice will take its course.

“Justice is very difficult to say because it's in the hands of the judges. If they give good justice, I'll be happy. If they don't give good justice, I have no way. It's out of my control. But I would like to see them have a penalty for whatever they've done,” he said.