Former two-division world champion boxer Zolani Tete was shot and killed in a brutal ambush outside his residence in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, on Friday evening. The 38-year-old athlete, widely celebrated as one of South Africa’s finest pugilists, was sitting in his vehicle waiting for his residential gate to open when the attack occurred.
According to Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, two unidentified suspects wearing balaclavas emerged from a vehicle and opened fire on Tete’s car. In a desperate attempt to evade the barrage of bullets, Tete managed to drive his vehicle into the yard before succumbing to his injuries. He was officially pronounced dead at the scene.
A 27-year-old woman travelling in the vehicle with him was also struck multiple times. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she remains admitted for emergency medical treatment. South African police have confirmed that no arrests have been made thus far, and a manhunt and full investigation are currently underway.
An Illustrious Ring Legacy
Affectionately known by fans as “Last Born,” Tete carved out an exceptional professional career, capturing world honors across multiple weight classes. He notably secured the IBF junior-bantamweight title in 2014 following a gritty performance in Japan, and later reigned as the WBO bantamweight champion between 2017 and 2019.
Internationally, Tete etched his name into sports history on a November night in 2017 in Belfast, where he knocked out compatriot Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds. That staggering feat still stands as the Guinness World Record for the fastest knockout in a world title fight. Over his professional career, Tete accumulated a record of 29 wins—including 22 via knockout—against four losses and one no-contest.
Tete had recently completed a four-year suspension issued by UK Anti-Doping following a July 2022 bout in London. With his ban having expired on July 29, his management and close circle confirmed that he had been intensely training for an anticipated return to the professional ring.
National Outpouring of Grief
The devastating news has sent shockwaves through the global boxing community and triggered widespread mourning across South Africa.
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie issued an emotional statement paying tribute to the fallen champion:
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”South Africa has lost one of the finest fighters it has ever produced. Zolani ‘Last Born’ Tete was shot and killed this evening in Mdantsane, at his own home… He was sitting at his own gate, waiting for it to open, and that is where they came for him. You carried this flag into rooms it had no business being in, and you did it once in just eleven seconds. Your legacy will endure, though, without a timer.”
Local authorities have appealed to anyone from the Mdantsane community with information regarding the armed suspects to come forward as detectives continue to piece together the motive behind the fatal ambush.
