A well-known taxi boss in KwaZulu Natal, Mfundo Gcaba has been linked to the murders of rapper Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes and his celebrity chef friend Tebello 'Tibz' Motsoane after he deposited an amount of R803 455 to one of the accused's accounts, a day after the incident. This was revealed during the bail application hearing of the accused Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi (30), Lindani Ndimande (35), Siyanda Myeza (21), Mziwethemba Gwabeni (36), and Lindokuhle Ndimande (29) at the Durban Magistrates Court yesterday.
WHO IS MFUNDO GCABA?
Mfundo, who is implicated, is former President Jacob Zuma's nephew.and part of the infamous Gcaba brothers from Durban, known for owning a taxi empire with more than 500 minibus taxis including busses. Gcaba alleged that his family financed the former president's political campaigns in the past by transporting his teams around the country.
In 2015, he was among 11 accused in the shooting at Brook Street taxi rank where 15 people people were killed in taxi violence over a routes dispute. According to the Mercury at the time, former KZN transport MEC Willies Mchunu was granted an interdict by the Pietermatizburg High Courtto to stop Gcaba and his association Sonke Long Distance Taxi Association from harassing, threatening and assaulting their taxi rivals. The interdict also prohibited the association from using key Durban and South Coast taxi ranks. The Sonke Long Distance Association, which is allegedly controlled by the Gcabas staged a hostile takeover of routes in Port Shepstone, Umzinto, Highflats and Harding in 2015. In the court papers, Gcaba was named as the main instigator. During his court appearance at the time, Gcaba revealed that he had 24 taxis worth R300 000 each and that his business had 24 drivers and three managers and made him about R400 000 per month.
THE FEARED GCABA BROTHERS
The Gcabas brothers were born from different mothers and their father Mkhulekelwa Simon Gcaba started the taxi empire in the early 70's. Mkhulelwa had five wives and was assassinated in February 1996 in a suspected taxi violence hit. The brothers, led by Mandla Gcaba, took over their father's businesses. The brothers were also accused of financially sponsoring the July 2021 unrest after Zuma's arrest.
FUNDS WERE SHARED AMONGST ACCUSED
The court heard that a day after the shooting one of the suspects and an alleged orchestrator of the rapper's hit,Mziwethemba Gwabeni, made a call to a number linked to Gcaba and shortly after that, money was transferred to his account. This was revealed in an affidavit by the detective investigating the case, Warrant Officer Kumarasan Pillay. The affidavit was read out in court by prosecutor advocate Elvis Gcweka. According to the affidavit, the bank statements with the reference "dividends" don't show the period of the transactions but the funds came from a bank account of a company named Bright Circle Pty Ltd. According to the company records, Gcaba is the sole director which then raised the question of how the funds were transferred to dividends if the company does not have any shareholders. "When the money was transferred, a reference was used as 'dividends'. This, we are of the view, was done to disguise the nature of the funds as same is viewed to be payment for the shooting. The court heard that on the same evening that the funds were transferred, they were shared with six other accounts. R133,000 to two of the accused, R100 000 to two other accused, R33 000 to one of the accused spouses and another R33 000 to a Capitec account and R100 000 to an Absa account belonging to an accused and R138,455 was retained in Gwabeni's account.
