AKA, South African Popular Rapper , Tragically Shot and Killed in Durban"

Kiernan Forbes, also known as AKA, one of South Africa's most popular rap artists, was tragically shot and killed outside a restaurant in Durban on Friday night.

He was 35 years old and had received multiple awards and nominations, including a nomination for a BET Award in the US and an MTV Europe Music Award. His parents, Tony and Lynn Forbes, expressed their heartbreak in a statement posted on AKA's Twitter account, saying that "our son was loved, and he gave love in return."

The police are investigating the shooting, which also claimed the life of another man, and the motive is currently unknown. Beauty Dlulane, who heads the parliamentary committee on arts and culture, condemned the murder as a "hit" and called for authorities to protect South Africans from the recent trend of contract and revenge killings targeting performing artists and DJs.

South Africa has a high rate of gun violence, with many licensed firearms for personal protection and a significant number of illegal guns in circulation. The country has suffered several mass shootings at taverns in recent years, including a shooting at a birthday party last month that resulted in eight fatalities.