Farewell To Wish On Florida| Restaurant Closes Permanently After AKA’s Murder
Wish On Florida, the restaurant where South African rapper AKA was fatally shot alongside his friend Tebello Tibz Motsoane on February 10th, 2023, has declared its permanent closure.
AKA had just finished his meal at the restaurant and was outside bidding farewell to his companions when a perpetrator approached him and shot him in the head.
Wish On Florida posted a message on its Instagram page, confirming that it will shut down permanently on April 10th, 2023.
In their statement, the restaurant announced that they will be organizing an event called “The Last Supper” on their final day of operation.
“STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WISH ON FLORIDA CLOSES PERMANENTLY
It is with great sadness that we announce the imminent closure of Wish On Florida effective 10th April 2023 – where we will be hosting -“The Last Supper,” reads part of the statement.
The owners of Wish On Florida cited a significant decrease in business after the tragic and devastating incident that occurred just outside their premises involving AKA’s death.
In their message, the restaurant expressed gratitude to their loyal customers and stakeholders for supporting their business during the past three years.
In light of the recent tragic event on our doorstep we have experienced a severe downturn in business which leaves the directors with no other choice but to close the business permanently as the brand equity of Wish On Florida has been deeply hindered.
Wish On Florida was certainly a wish come true for two black entrepreneurs who dedicated the last three years to building a successful black-owned restaurant in the heart of Durban, winning the Emerging Tounsm Entrepreneur Award at the Durban Tourism Business Awards in 2022.
We would like to thank the city of Durban for the tremendous support in the last three years – catering to you and the rest of the country has been an absolute joy and your support will forever be engraved on Wish On Florida’s legacy.
We would also like to thank the various brands & suppliers who’ve been part of the Wish On Florida family since we opened our doors. With very little knowledge of the industry, you walked us through the business of hospitality and delivered exceptional service and for that, we will forever be grateful.
Last, but not least – our staff members who are the fabric that held Wish On Florida together – this was not an easy decision Our efforts to keep our doors open to ensure the security of your employment has been difficult, and unfortunately, the above mentioned has led to an untimely farewell. Thank you for your outstanding dedication and passion to providing the best service and quality to Wish On Florida. Thank you for embracing and embodying our vision and bringing it to life every day for the last three years. Thank you for making Wish On Florida a dream come true.
In addition, Wish On Florida extended an invitation to the general public to visit them during their final days of operation, as they have planned various enjoyable activities to ensure that their farewell is unforgettable.
We invite the public to join us on our last trading week as we have an exciting line-up of activations from the 7th April 2023 leading up to -The Last Supper- on the 10th April 2023. Follow our social media accounts for more information.
From the Wish On Florida team, we thank you once again for your support.
“A Wish Is A Start Of A Dream”
Mixed Reactions As Wish On Florida Shuts Down
The news of Wish On Florida’s abrupt closure has generated discussions on social media, with many people questioning the timing of the closure.
Some Twitter users have expressed suspicion towards the owners, as they are closing the restaurant on the same date that AKA was killed, and have named their farewell event “The Last Supper.”
@Temosho;
The owners were definitely involved in AKA’s assassination. They are the very same people who owned Yugo nightclub, the very same nightclub AKA was supposed to perform at, that fateful night. Someone conspired with them to bring AKA to Durban.
@CalvinMakhumbo
Last supper someone will die. Remember they were not operational and reopened when AKA was there and now the job is done so they’ll close. Owner got his cut
@Am_blujay
I think labelling the 10th of April their last day “The Last Supper” is very distasteful and disrespectful to the family of AKA as Kiernan had his last meal with his friends in their restaurant and was also labelled the Last Supper…I don’t know why they thought it was okay
@RaeRae
And why are they closing it on the 10th? Why the 10th 😢.A bit insensitive I must say.