South African authorities have arrested four individuals in connection with the fatal shooting of Zolani Tete, a former world boxing champion, in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape. The 38-year-old was killed on Friday in what officials characterized as an ambush while he waited in his vehicle for his gate to open. A 27-year-old woman accompanying him was also shot and remains hospitalized.
The first suspect, a 22-year-old male apprehended on Saturday, is scheduled to appear in court on Monday and faces charges of murder and attempted murder. Three additional suspects were taken into custody on Sunday. Two of these individuals have been charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, though their potential involvement in the homicide and shooting remains unclear. All three are set for a court appearance on Tuesday.
Tete was a two-time world champion who held the WBO bantamweight title between 2017 and 2019, and previously won the IBF super-flyweight title in 2014. He gained recognition for setting a Guinness World Record for the fastest knockout in a title fight, defeating Siboniso Gonya in 11 seconds in 2017. His professional record included 29 victories across 34 fights, alongside four losses and one no-contest.
The boxer had been serving a four-year ban that concluded in July this year, with his manager indicating he had been preparing for a comeback bout at the time of his death. His final professional fight occurred in July 2022 against British fighter Jason Cunningham in London, which was subsequently ruled a no-contest following a failed drugs test.
Government officials and sports figures have issued statements mourning Tete’s death. South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie characterized him as “one of the finest fighters” the nation has produced, while former Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula described him as a significant contributor to professional boxing in South Africa.
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