State places member of top KZN taxi family at centre of AKA murder case

DURBAN - The State has placed a member of one of the most revered KwaZulu-Natal taxi families at the centre of the AKA murder case.

Sydney Mfundo Gcaba, one of the Gcaba brothers, who are nephews to former President Jacob Zuma, allegedly paid more than R800,000 into the account of one of the accused.

The money was paid on 11 February, a day after the murder of Kiernan "AKA" Forbes and Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane.

READ: State claims AKA's alleged killers 'operate as a gang'

The State alleges this money was paid as proceeds for the murder of Forbes.

The State dropped a massive bombshell when five of the seven men appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday afternoon in connection with the murder of Forbes and Motsoane.

In an affidavit deposed by investigating officer, Kumaran Pillay, he alleges one of the Gcaba brothers paid a sum of more than R800,000 into one of the bank accounts of the accused.

Durban businessman and taxi business funder, Mziwethemba Gwabeni, who’s also one of the accused in the matter, allegedly received the money into his business bank account the day after the murder on 11 February.

The money was paid via the business bank account of Bright Circle Pty Ltd, a company Gcaba is the sole director of.

The State alleges Gwabeni proceeded to pay his co-accused an amount of R133,000 each thereafter.

State prosecutor, Advocate Elvis Gcweka, alleged that cellphone records showed that prior to the money being paid, Gwabeni and Gcaba spoke.

"Shortly after this call, an amount of R803,455 is transferred into the bank account of the applicant."

The State alleges the reference for the payment was made under “consults” but their investigations so far have been unable to establish a business relationship between Gwabeni and Gcaba.