Following Tuesday’s briefing on developments in South African entertainer Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes’s murder, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has hit back against Police Minister Bheki Cele for scoring “cheap political points” by trying to show that the South African Police Service (Saps) is doing its job.

Seven people were arrested for the February 2023 murder of AKA and his friend Tebello 'Tibs' Motsoane.

The DA said it acknowledged the arrests but said it was an “embarrassment” that they had only occurred more than a year later after the murders.

“Whilst the arrests are welcomed, these professional hitmen have been out on the streets for over a year, with how many other hits having potentially taken place. While Cele takes the opportunity to parade in front of the cameras for a case over a year old, he neglects to tell us of the 27 494 murders that occurred last year, the 25 181 murders the year before, or the 19 972 murders before that, and how these criminals have not been brought to book,” said DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Police Okkie Terblanche.

He accused Cele of focusing on earning support through “publicity events” and said the justice system should treat everybody equally, regardless of status or “public prominence”.

“The loss of life due to violence is always a profound tragedy, and every victim deserves equal treatment under the law; however, it should never be that mediocrity is celebrated or accepted,” Terblanche said.