Durban Businessman’s Family Defends His Innocence in AKA and Tibz Murder Case

The family of Sydney Mfundo Gcaba, a prominent businessman from Durban embroiled in the murder case of South African rapper Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes and Tebello 'Tibz' Motsoane, has stepped forth to defend his integrity and transparency in business dealings.

Accusations surfaced in the Durban Magistrate’s Court last week linking the killing of the highly regarded rapper and his friend to financial transactions allegedly undertaken by Gcaba. The suspects involved in the case, Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, and Lindokuhle Lindo Ndimande, are charged with a range of offenses, from conspiracy to murder to money laundering.

A pivotal point of contention is the sum of R803,455 transferred to Gwabeni, the accused said to have later distributed these funds among the other implicated individuals. Bank statements produced in court corroborated the State's assertions. The family of Gcaba has taken a firm stance, releasing a public statement asserting that their patriarch's financial transactions, including those to Mr. Gwabeni, were solely for legitimate business purposes.

This defense highlights Gcaba's entrepreneurial success in industries such as coal mining and the taxi services, emphasizing that his financial interactions are verifiable through bank records, and are characterized as neither unique nor sporadic.

Under the burgeoning weight of public scrutiny, the Gcaba family remains confidently reliant on the South African judiciary, and maintains that no law enforcement agencies have reached out to Gcaba for his account of the events. Amid this challenging period, they also issued condolences to the families of the victims, AKA and Tibz.

With more court proceedings scheduled, including the case of brothers Siyabonga and Malusi Ndimande, also connected to the incident, due on April 9, the Gcaba clan pleaded for privacy and pledged to keep the public apprised of new developments.