–MDANTSANE, South Africa
Former two-time world boxing champion Zolani ‘Last Born’ Tete aged 38, was shot and killed outside his home in Mdantsane on Friday evening, August 21, 2026. He was waiting in his vehicle for the gate to open when two armed men wearing balaclavas stepped out of another car and opened fire. Tete died at the scene. A 27-year-old woman accompanying him was also wounded and taken to the hospital.
Police confirmed that the ambush took place around 6:30 p.m. in the NU17 area. The suspects fled and remain at large, no arrests have been made so far, and the motive for the crime is unknown. Authorities are investigating the case as murder and attempted murder.
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie described Tete as one of South Africa's best boxers and appealed to the public for assistance with the investigation. Tete held the IBF super-flyweight title in 2014 and the WBO bantamweight crown between 2017 and 2019, he was renowned for scoring a knockout in a world title fight in just 11 seconds in 2017.
His four-year doping suspension had ended just last month, in July 2026, and he was training for a potential return to the ring. Tributes continue to pour in from the boxing world, while police urge anyone with information to come forward and assist the authorities.