In brief
Zolani Tete, a former WBO bantamweight and IBF super‑flyweight world champion, was gunned down in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, in an ambush outside his residence. Four suspects have been detained – a 22‑year‑old arrested on Saturday who faces murder and attempted murder charges, and three others arrested on Sunday who are charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. The boxer’s tragic death has prompted tributes from South Africa’s Sports Ministers, highlighting his legacy as one of the country’s greatest fighters. Tete’s career, including a record 11‑second knockout in 2017, ended with a drug ban that lapsed in July, after which he trained for a comeback fight. Police and prosecutors expect the suspects to appear in court in the coming days.
Four men have been detained by South African police following the fatal shooting of former world boxing champion Zolani Tete, who was 38 when he was gunned down outside his home in Mdantsane on Friday evening.
According to police, the 22‑year‑old suspect arrested on Saturday is to appear in court on Monday and faces both murder and attempted murder charges. Three other men, arrested on Sunday, are due for a court appearance on Tuesday; two of them have already been charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, with prosecutors possibly extending charges to murder and attempted murder.
Tete, a former WBO bantamweight champion from 2017 to 2019 and IBF super‑flyweight champion in 2014, was known for a record 11‑second knockout in 2017. He had recently completed a four‑year doping ban that expired in July, after which he was training for a comeback fight.
South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie expressed that the country had lost one of its finest fighters, while former Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula lamented the loss of a "great South African who has made an immense contribution to the sport of boxing".
