Former two-division world champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete was shot dead outside his home in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, South Africa.The 38-year-old southpaw was returning home from training when the fatal attack occurred.
According to Eastern Cape Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, the targeted ambush took place at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time while Tete was parked outside his residence waiting for his gate to open. Two suspects wearing balaclavas emerged from a vehicle and opened fire on Tete’s car.
Brigadier Gantana noted that in a desperate attempt to escape the hail of bullets, Tete drove his vehicle through the gate into the yard, but he suffered severe gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. A 27-year-old female passenger in the vehicle was also shot multiple times and was rushed to a local hospital, where she remains under medical care. South African Police Service (SAPS) detectives have launched murder and attempted murder investigations, though no arrests have been made and no motive has been identified.
The tragedy was confirmed to SABC Sport by Tete’s longtime manager, Mlandeli Tengimfene, who expressed profound grief over the sudden loss. The news comes just weeks after Tete had cleared a major hurdle in his career. His four-year anti-doping ban had officially expired on July 29, 2026, and his team confirmed he was actively training for a planned comeback fight scheduled for November 28, 2026, aiming to capture a third world title.
In an official public address, South African Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie condemned the murder and paid tribute to the boxing star. “South Africa has lost one of the finest fighters it has ever produced,” Minister McKenzie stated. “Two armed men in balaclavas killed one of our greatest world champions at his own front gate… I appeal to anyone who saw anything, who knows anything, to come forward.”
Tete’s career established him as one of the most decorated modern African fighters. He claimed the IBF junior-bantamweight title in 2014 and the WBO bantamweight world title in 2017. He earned a place in boxing history by setting the Guinness World Record for the fastest knockout in a world title fight when he stopped Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds in Belfast. Tete concludes his professional career with a record of 29 wins [22 by knockout] against four defeats.