BY Grace Zigah
South African boxing has been plunged into mourning following the killing of former two-weight world champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete, who was shot dead outside his home in Mdantsane township in the Eastern Cape.
Tete, 38, was reportedly arriving at his residence on Friday when two armed men wearing balaclavas emerged from a vehicle and opened fire on him. Police have launched an investigation into the killing, while the motive remains unknown.
A 27-year-old woman who was travelling with the former champion was also shot multiple times during the attack and was rushed to hospital for treatment. Her current condition was not disclosed in the report.
The killing has sent shockwaves through Mdantsane, a township with a rich boxing tradition and a long history of producing some of South Africa’s most successful fighters.
Tete had become one of the area’s most prominent sporting figures after establishing himself on the international boxing stage.
South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie expressed his condolences but cautioned against speculation over the circumstances surrounding the killing.
“I will not speculate about who did this or why,” McKenzie said in a statement.
Tete’s death has also renewed concerns about violent crime in South Africa, where killings remain a major public safety issue despite recent reductions in the country’s homicide figures.
Tete captured his first world title in 2014 when he defeated Japan’s Teiru Kinoshita in Kobe to win the IBF junior-bantamweight championship. He later moved up to bantamweight and secured the WBO world title, establishing himself as one of Africa’s leading champions of his generation.
However, one of the defining moments of his career came in Belfast in November 2017, when he faced fellow South African Siboniso Gonya in a WBO bantamweight title defence.
Tete produced a stunning 11-second knockout, a result that became one of the most memorable finishes in modern boxing. The stoppage was recognised as the fastest knockout in a world title fight, further cementing his name in boxing history.
His career achievements made him an important figure in South African sport, particularly in Mdantsane, where boxing has long played a major role in the community’s sporting identity.
The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation, with police expected to work to establish the identity of the attackers, their motive and whether the shooting was targeted.
