Durban – The legal net continues to tighten around the Ndimande brothers, who are already at the centre of the high-profile murder trial of South African rap icon Kiernan "AKA" Forbes. In a dramatic "crossover" of criminal cases, the brothers and their co-accused are now facing the full weight of the law for a separate, equally cold-blooded assassination: the 2022 killing of taxi owner William Kunene.
The Ndimande brothers—Siyabonga Gezani and Malusi Dave—along with Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi and Philani Innocent Sikhosana, are accused of orchestrating the fatal shooting of Kunene at Seadoone Mall in Amanzimtoti. The case, which returned to the Durban High Court this week for a pre-trial conference, has highlighted the alleged "hit-squad" activities of a group that the State believes was operating as a professional unit of assassins.
William Kunene, a respected taxi owner and member of the Folweni, Adams, and Stanger Taxi Association, was gunned down in November 2022. According to the State’s indictment, the accused allegedly conspired to kill Kunene after learning he would be shopping at the Checkers store at Seadoone Mall.
The details of the assassination are chillingly precise. Kunene had reportedly completed his shopping and returned to his vehicle in the mall’s parking area. After placing his groceries inside his car, he walked back to the trolley bay to return his shopping cart—a routine act that would be his last. Prosecutors allege that armed gunmen approached him at the trolley bay and opened fire multiple times at close range. Kunene died instantly, leaving behind a grieving family and a shocked community.
The connection between the Kunene murder and the AKA assassination is a significant development in South Africa’s criminal justice landscape. Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, who is the first accused in the AKA and Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane murder case, is also a primary suspect in the Kunene hit. The State believes that the same individuals were involved in both operations, suggesting a pattern of contract killings.
The Ndimande brothers were notably absent from the dock during this week’s brief appearance. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Lawrence Gcaba, explained to the court that Correctional Services had been unable to locate the necessary J7 warrants to bring the brothers from prison. The brothers were only extradited from the Kingdom of Eswatini in November 2025, after months of fighting their return to South Africa.
Gcaba also revealed that "crucial evidence" obtained during the brothers’ time in Eswatini is required for the Kunene trial. This evidence is expected to provide further forensic or digital links between the accused and the various murder scenes they are linked to. "Once the State has the evidence, it will be disclosed to the defence," Gcaba told the court.
The postponement of the pre-trial conference to August 13 also allows for a fresh bail application by Philani Innocent Sikhosana. Sikhosana, represented by Clinton Short, is seeking release based on "new facts" that have allegedly emerged since his initial arrest. KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Thoba Poyo-Dlwati granted Sikhosana leave to approach the Magistrate’s Court for this application while the High Court proceedings remain on hold.
The Ndimande brothers and Mkhwanazi are being represented by attorney Sibusiso Dlamini, who is also the instructing attorney for all seven accused in the AKA and Tibz matter. The legal team is facing a mounting challenge as the State seeks to tie the various cases together, potentially using ballistic and digital evidence from one case to bolster the other.
The Kunene murder case is a stark reminder of the violence that continues to plague the taxi industry in KwaZulu-Natal. Assassinations of taxi owners are often linked to route disputes and internal power struggles within associations. However, the involvement of high-profile "hitmen" like the Ndimande brothers suggests that these industry conflicts are increasingly being handled by professional killers.
For the family of William Kunene, the trial represents a long-awaited quest for justice. The fact that the men accused of killing their loved one are also linked to one of the most famous murders in South African history has brought national attention to a case that might otherwise have remained a local tragedy.
As the August 13 date approaches, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on the Durban High Court. The "Shadow of AKA" looms large over every proceeding, but for the prosecutors, the goal is simple: to prove that whether the victim is a global superstar or a local businessman, no one is above the law. The battle for accountability in the Seadoone Mall assassination has only just begun, and the evidence from Eswatini may yet prove to be the key that unlocks the truth.
