BY MBONGENI NDLELA
MBABANE – South Africa’s KZN Provisional Police Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi today set the record straight as he explained why the South African Police Service deployed a police jet to collect the two South African brothers arrested in Eswatini in connection with the murders of rapper AKA and his friend Tibz.
His detailed clarification came as the pair, Siyabonga Gezani and Malusi Dave Ndimande, boarded the aircraft at King Mswati III International Airport, marking a crucial step in the high-profile extradition.
Public commentary had been buzzing with questions, memes, and jokes about whether the accused were receiving “VIP treatment,” with some pointing at the sleek jet and extensive escort as signs of unnecessary extravagance. But General Mkhwanazi dismissed these perceptions, explaining that South Africans were watching an operation, not a luxury experience.
He first addressed the legal obligations that shaped the mission.
“The court directs that human rights must be present when these people are moved… so that their human rights are protected,” he said, stressing that extradition procedures require safe, controlled, and compliant transfers.
He explained that SAPS could not rely on commercial flights or unpredictable public areas where security risks would be heightened.
“We had to make provisions for that when we were moving them,” he added.
According to the General, the aircraft used was not a luxury jet but a dedicated police operational aircraft, a resource acquired precisely for complex, high-risk missions.
“It might be seen as if it’s a jet for luxury use, but… that’s an operational aircraft for operations like this.”
Beyond legal considerations, safety threats were a major factor. General Mkhwanazi confirmed that one of the suspects is believed to be the actual shooter in the killing of the internationally celebrated musician AKA, a detail that dramatically elevated the risks around moving them.
“There are many people that might not want them alive in order to try and kill the case,” he revealed.
This risk profile explains the layered security seen on the ground and in the air. While observers saw dozens of police vehicles, the General clarified that the mission extended far beyond escorting two accused individuals. The security presence was designed to secure every approach, route, and blind spot between Eswatini and South Africa.
“A person can stand anywhere and do whatever they want… That’s why we need to make sure that we have air cover that can see anyone hiding in any bush or tree,” he said.
While he acknowledged the financial cost of flying a jet from Pretoria to Eswatini and back, he stressed that the expense was unavoidable for a case of this magnitude.
“Unfortunately, through all that, there is going to be a cost… but we had to deploy every possible means,” he said.
Today’s extradition stands as another example of effective cooperation between Eswatini and South Africa, reflecting both nations’ commitment to justice and regional security. Eswatini authorities arrested and detained the suspects last year, ensuring they remained secure while legal processes unfolded. Their handover today moves the case into its next chapter.
With the suspects now back on South African soil under maximum security, attention shifts to the courts, where the long-awaited details surrounding the killing of AKA and Tibz will finally be tested before the law.
