Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh Explains Why He Chose Not To Attend AKA’s Funeral. In the aftermath of the tragic passing of Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, a former member of the Entity rap group alongside AKA and Nhlanhla Majozi, has opened up about his decision not to attend AKA’s funeral at his family home.
Sizwe, who has pursued a career in academia and social commentary, expressed his deep respect for AKA and his family but revealed a conscious decision to maintain distance during that sensitive period. “When he was tragically murdered or killed, I didn’t want to claim my proximity to him,” Sizwe explained during an interview with Penuel. “I hadn’t spoken to Kiernan in 10 years, and I didn’t know how he felt about me. I didn’t go to the house because I didn’t want to be seen as ingratiating myself onto the family during such a painful time.”
Acknowledging the tension that often arises in moments of grief, Sizwe highlighted the importance of staying genuine. “Wherever there’s tension, people start doing weird things, leveraging and exploiting attention. I wanted to avoid contributing to that,” he said
However, Sizwe shared a poignant moment of reconnection with AKA’s family that touched his heart. On the day of the public memorial, he received an unexpected call from AKA’s younger brother, Stephan Forbes. “He called and said, ‘Sizwe, it’s Stephan.’ I was surprised and replied, ‘Wow, Stephan, I’m so sorry. How are you? I didn’t know whether to reach out; I didn’t want to impose.’ But he reassured me, saying, ‘The memorial is today, and we’d really like you and Nhlanhla to be there. There’s a room where the family will be, and we’d like to see you. You’re not imposing; we want you to be there.’”
The invitation was a meaningful gesture for Sizwe, who expressed deep admiration for AKA’s parents, Lynn and Tony Forbes. “Aunt Lynn and Uncle Tony, I have so much respect for the family,” he said. “Even though I lost touch with Kiernan, I hold them in my thoughts and prayers.”
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