Former world boxing champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete was shot dead outside his home in the Mdantsane township in the Eastern Cape on Friday, police and national sporting bodies confirmed.
What happened
According to initial reports, Tete, aged 38, had arrived at his residence when two men wearing balaclavas alighted from a car and opened fire. He was declared dead at the scene. A 27-year-old woman who was with him suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital for treatment.
“South Africa has lost one of the finest fighters it has ever produced … There are no words I can offer tonight that will be equal to what [the family] has lost.”
Gayton McKenzie, minister of sports, arts and culture, said this in a comment reported following the shooting.
Police response and investigation
The South African Police Service has opened an inquiry into the killing and appealed to the public for information to assist the investigation. Authorities said the motive remains unclear at this stage. No arrests were reported in the initial coverage.
Career and legacy
Tete was a prominent figure in South African boxing. Over his career he fought in 34 professional matches and held world titles on two occasions: the IBF junior-bantamweight title in 2014 and the bantamweight title in 2017. He also held a Guinness world record for the fastest knockout in a title fight, a mark that underlined his power and timing in the ring.
Sporting bodies reacted quickly. The World Boxing Council published a tribute offering its "deepest condolences" to Tete's family and praising his career. McKenzie said Tete had been training for a comeback and that the boxer believed he still had something to give the country.
Broader context: violent crime and sport
The killing has rekindled public debate about violent crime in South Africa. Government crime statistics cited in reporting show an average of 58 murders per day in the first four months of 2026, a figure that places continued pressure on law-enforcement priorities and public safety discussions. By contrast, reporting noted that the United Kingdom recorded an average of 1.5 murders per day in 2025.
High-profile deaths such as Tete's land heavily in sport communities because they erase more than an athlete’s statistics: they remove public figures who serve as role models, coaches, promoters and community leaders. Tete’s career — from Mdantsane to world titles — made him a powerful symbol of possibility for many young fighters.
- Victim: Zolani Tete, 38
- Location: Mdantsane township, Eastern Cape
- Other injured: 27-year-old woman, hospitalised
- Career highlights: 34 fights; IBF junior-bantamweight champion (2014); bantamweight champion (2017); Guinness record for fastest title-fight knockout
| Statistic | Figure |
|---|---|
| Professional fights | 34 |
| World titles | 2 |
| Average daily murders (Jan–Apr 2026) | 58 |
The immediate sporting consequences are both personal and programmatic. On a personal level, Tete’s family and close circle have lost a husband, father and colleague; on a wider level, boxing’s development pathways — particularly in townships where the sport remains a ladder out of poverty — will feel the absence of one of their most recognisable graduates.
Tributes have poured in from the boxing world and from South African officials. The loss will be measured not only in belts and statistics but in the gap left in communities where retired champions often coach and mentor the next generation.
The police appeal for information remains active and authorities have asked anyone with relevant footage or knowledge to come forward. As the investigation proceeds, the sporting fraternity will be watching closely, mourning a fighter whose record and reputation stretched beyond the ropes.
