Just as he was hard at work, preparing to return to action after serving a four-year ban, the life of erstwhile world champion, Zolani ‘Last Born’ Tete, was cut short following a shooting in Mdantsane on Friday evening.
Tete’s manager, Mla Tengimfene, told Ink Sport that the former World Boxing Organisation (WBO) bantamweight and International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-bantamweight champion was shot dead at Mdantsane’s NU 17. Tete was coming back from the gym to his home when he met his untimely death.
“The South African Police Service in Inyibiba is investigating a case of murder and attempted murder following a shooting incident that occurred at NU 17, Mdantsane, on the evening of 21 August 2026 at approximately 18h30,” an Eastern Cape Police statement said.
“According to preliminary reports, the 38-year-old male victim was arriving at his residence and waiting for the gate to open when two unknown armed suspects, wearing balaclavas, emerged from a vehicle and opened fire on him and his 27-year-old female passenger. In an attempt to escape the hail of bullets, the deceased drove his vehicle into the yard. He unfortunately succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased on the scene.
“The female passenger sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. She remains hospitalised. At this stage, no arrests have been made, and the motive for the attack remains unknown. The suspects fled the scene and are yet to be apprehended.”
Tete, who was born in Mdantsane, had been sweating buckets at the gym, preparing for a come back fight, which was scheduled for Sunday, 29 November.
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[…] Tete, who held a professional record of 29-4 with 22 knockouts, was a world champion at junior bantamweight and later bantamweight. Tete had just completed a four-year ban after testing positive for stanozolol in 2022 and was preparing for a return to the ring on Sunday, November 29. […]
[…] According to local reports, Tete (29-4, 22 KOs) was returning home from a gym session with a female … While waiting for the gate to open at his residence, they were reportedly confronted by armed suspects, who opened fire. […]