AKA case heats up: Ndimande brothers extradited from Eswatini

In a move welcomed by South African authorities and fans of the late rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, the Eswatini government has formally approved the extradition of the two main suspects in his murder case. The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that Siyabonga and Malusi Ndimande, brothers accused of killing AKA and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, will soon be returned to South Africa to stand trial.

The pair had initially opposed extradition proceedings after their arrest in February 2024, but recently withdrew their appeal, clearing the way for their transfer. The Eswatini High Court issued a surrender order, ending a protracted legal battle that had delayed the case’s progress.

According to SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the extradition marks a “critical milestone” in efforts to ensure justice for the victims. She said the cooperation between South Africa and Eswatini showed the strength of regional law enforcement collaboration against organised and cross-border crime.

The Ndimande brothers are accused of being part of a coordinated hit squad that fatally shot AKA and Tibz outside Wish restaurant on Florida Road, Durban, in February 2023. Their capture in Eswatini earlier this year came after months of joint intelligence operations involving South African and Eswatini police.

The extradition will allow prosecutors to finally present the full case against the suspects, who have been linked to several other violent crimes in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Sources within the investigation said the arrest and extradition could help unravel a wider criminal network behind the assassination.

Families of the victims have expressed relief at the development. “We have waited too long for this moment. This is not just about Kiernan, but about justice for all victims of organised violence,” a relative of Tibz said.

Authorities confirmed that the Ndimande brothers would be handed over to South African officials within days, where they are expected to face charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and illegal possession of firearms.

The extradition closes one chapter of international legal delays but opens another in South Africa’s long quest for accountability. For many, it represents not only justice for AKA and Tibz but also a test of whether the country’s criminal justice system can deliver closure in a case that has gripped the nation for nearly two years.