Former world boxing champion Zolani Tete was shot dead outside his home in the municipality of Mdantsane in South Africa on Friday, authorities announced.
The 38-year-old South African fighter was arriving at his residence when two hooded gunmen stepped out of a vehicle and opened fire on him. Police and South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie confirmed the fatality in the Eastern Cape province.
A 27-year-old woman who was travelling in the vehicle with Tete was also shot multiple times during the attack. Emergency services rushed her to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Police investigation and official response
In an official statement released after the shooting, Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie said he would not speculate on who carried out the killing or what motives lay behind it.
Law enforcement authorities have launched a murder investigation into the ambush. Police confirmed that the motives for the fatal attack remain unknown and that no suspects have been publicly identified.
Tete's death is expected to reignite national debate surrounding the high levels of violent crime in South Africa. Despite a recent reduction in homicides, South Africa continues to register one of the highest murder rates in the world.
The killing generated widespread grief in Mdantsane, a large township situated near East London in the Eastern Cape. The community holds a celebrated history in global boxing, having produced several of South Africa's most prominent world champions.
Boxing career and world title victories
Tete, who fought under the nickname "Last Born," established himself as one of South Africa's top professional boxers over a career spanning multiple weight classes.
He won his first world title in 2014, capturing the International Boxing Federation junior bantamweight championship by defeating Japanese contender Teiru Kinoshita on points in Kobe, Japan. He later moved up in weight to claim the World Boxing Organization bantamweight world title.
On the international stage, Tete gained widespread recognition for a historic performance against fellow South African boxer Siboniso Gonya in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in November 2017.
Tete knocked out Gonya in just 11 seconds of the first round. The victory stands as the fastest knockout ever recorded in a world title fight in professional boxing history.
