Former two-time world boxing champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete has been shot dead outside his home in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, with police investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing.
Tete, 38, was attacked on Friday as he arrived at his residence in Mdantsane township. Police said two armed men wearing balaclavas emerged from a vehicle and opened fire as the boxer waited for the gate to his home to open.
A 27-year-old woman who was with Tete was also shot several times during the attack and was taken to hospital for treatment. Her condition was reported as serious, while authorities had not established a motive for the shooting.
South African Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie confirmed Tete’s death and appealed for patience while investigators work to establish what happened and identify those responsible.
McKenzie said he would not speculate about the identities of the attackers or the reason for the killing. Authorities have launched an investigation into the shooting and are seeking information that could assist the inquiry.
Tete was one of South Africa’s most accomplished boxers, winning world titles in two weight divisions during a professional career that established him as a prominent figure in the sport.
He captured the IBF junior-bantamweight world title in 2014, defeating Japan’s Teiru Kinoshita, before later becoming a world champion at bantamweight under the WBO. He held the WBO bantamweight title during the period from 2017 to 2019.
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His most memorable performances included an extraordinary 11-second knockout victory over compatriot Siboniso Gonya in 2017. The victory set a record for the fastest knockout in a world title fight and became one of the defining moments of his career.
Tete’s achievements made him a prominent sporting figure in Mdantsane, a township in the Eastern Cape with a strong boxing tradition.
His death has consequently generated widespread shock within South Africa’s sporting community, with government officials and boxing organisations mourning the former champion.
The World Boxing Council was among those paying tribute to Tete, while South African authorities called for those responsible for his killing to be brought to justice.
The circumstances of the attack remain under investigation. Police have not publicly established a motive, and there has been no confirmed indication that the killing was connected to Tete’s boxing career.
The attack occurred at his home, where he was ambushed as he returned to the property. The presence of two armed assailants and the fact that they fled after the shooting form part of the circumstances being examined by investigators.
The woman who was travelling with Tete survived the attack but suffered multiple gunshot wounds and remained in hospital, according to officials.
Tete’s killing has also renewed attention on violent crime in South Africa, where the authorities continue to confront high levels of gun violence and organised criminal activity. However, investigators have not publicly linked Tete’s death to any particular criminal group, and the motive remains unknown.
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The minister has urged members of the public with information about the shooting to assist police.
Tete’s family has also been left mourning the loss of a boxer whose career brought international recognition to South Africa. His brother, Siyabulela, described the family as devastated and shocked by the killing.
Tete had remained associated with boxing after reaching the highest levels of the sport and was reportedly preparing for a return to competition. His last professional fight was in 2022, and reports said he believed he still had more to contribute to South African boxing.
His death therefore ends the career of a fighter whose professional record included world titles, international victories and one of boxing’s fastest recorded title-fight knockouts.
For investigators, the immediate priority is establishing the circumstances surrounding the ambush, identifying the two attackers and determining why Tete was targeted.
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No arrests had been announced in the reports available as of Saturday, and authorities had not disclosed a suspected motive.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Verification Note: Tete’s death was confirmed by South African police and Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie and independently reported by Reuters, Associated Press and other major news organisations. The details concerning the two masked attackers, the injured 27-year-old woman and the absence of an established motive are based on those reports.
