JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 22 — Zolani Tete, a former two-weight world boxing champion renowned for recording the fastest knockout in a world title fight, was shot and killed outside his home in South Africa’s Eastern Cape on Friday evening. He was 38.
The ambush occurred in Mdantsane, a township near East London widely regarded as the “boxing mecca” of South Africa, which has produced a disproportionate number of the country’s world champions. According to police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu, two armed suspects opened fire on Tete’s vehicle as he arrived at his residence in the NU17 suburb. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspects fled and remain at large.
Tete, affectionately known in the boxing world as “Last Born,” leaves behind a legacy of explosive power and historic achievements. He captured the IBF flyweight title and later moved up to win the WBO bantamweight championship. In 2017, he etched his name into boxing history by knocking out Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds to defend his WBO title—the fastest knockout ever recorded in a world championship bout.
The senseless murder has sent shockwaves through the global boxing community and prompted immediate outrage from South African officials. Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie expressed profound grief, praising Tete for his resilience and for bringing pride to the nation on the global stage. The Eastern Cape Premier also condemned the killing, describing it as a “devastating loss” for a community that idolized the champion.
“Zolani was a warrior in the ring and a son of the soil in Mdantsane,” a local community leader told regional broadcasters. “To lose him to the very violence he fought so hard to escape is a tragedy that words cannot capture.”
Police have launched a massive manhunt for the assailants, with investigations focusing on potential motives, including robbery or targeted assassination. The funeral for the slain champion is scheduled to be held on August 29.
Tete’s death is the latest in a troubling series of violent crimes targeting high-profile athletes in the region, reigniting urgent national debates over policing, security, and the protection of public figures in South Africa’s townships.