Former world boxing champion Zolani Tete was shot and killed on Friday outside his home in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, in what police have described as an ambush. He was 38 years old.
Officials say Tete was in his vehicle waiting for his gate to open when two masked men exited another car and fired multiple shots at him and his passenger, a 27-year-old woman who was hit by the gunfire and remains in hospital.
Four individuals have been arrested in connection with the murder. A 22-year-old suspect detained on Saturday is expected to appear in court on Monday, charged with murder and attempted murder. Three others were apprehended on Sunday, including two men aged 30 and 32. All three face charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition; it is still unclear whether they will also be charged with murder and attempted murder. They are scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. 
The Man They Killed
Zolani Tete, known as “Last Born”, was among South Africa’s most outstanding boxers. He secured the IBF junior-bantamweight title in 2014 and later became WBO bantamweight champion from 2017 to 2019. He fought in Britain eight times during his career, including a victory over Liverpool’s Paul Butler in 2015.
He is recorded for a record most fighters would envy for a lifetime: the fastest knockout in world title fight history, stopping Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds in Belfast in November 2017.
His final bout was a knockout victory over Britain’s Jason Cunningham in London in July 2022, subsequently declared a no contest after testing positive for the banned steroid stanozolol. The UK Anti-Doping ban that followed lasted four years and expired on 29 July 2026.
He retired with a record of 29 wins; 22 by knockout, 4 losses, and 1 no contest from 34 professional fights.
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He Was Coming Back
His long-time manager, Mlandeli Tengimfene, confirmed that Tete had resumed training for a return fight scheduled for November 28, 2026. The aim was a third world title. The ban had just ended, and preparations were underway.
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The Tributes
South Africa’s boxing and sporting community responded swiftly. Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie called Tete “one of the finest fighters South Africa has ever produced.” Former Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula described him as “a great South African who made an immense contribution to boxing.”
Zolani Tete spent his career stepping into rings across the world, fighting for titles, and elevating South African boxing on the global stage. He was shot in his own driveway, waiting for a gate to open, days after becoming eligible to fight again.
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