South African boxing has been left devastated by the death of former two-division world champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete, who was fatally shot in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, on Friday evening.
Tete was just 38.
Police are investigating the shooting, which happened outside the boxer’s home. According to preliminary reports, Tete was waiting for his residential gate to open when armed suspects approached and opened fire. A 27-year-old woman who was travelling with him was also wounded and taken to hospital. No arrests had been reported at the time of publication.
The shocking news has prompted an outpouring of tributes, with Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie among those paying tribute to the fallen champion.
McKenzie: ‘South Africa has lost one of its finest fighters’
McKenzie described Tete as one of the greatest fighters South Africa has produced and extended his condolences to the boxer’s family and the people of Mdantsane.
The minister also appealed to anyone with information about the killing to assist the police investigation, while urging the public and media not to circulate unverified information or sensitive images.
The focus, McKenzie said, should remain on remembering the boxer and the legacy he leaves behind.
A champion from Mdantsane
Tete’s story was one of remarkable achievement.
Born and raised in Mdantsane, he went on to win world titles in two weight divisions, first capturing the IBF junior-bantamweight title in Japan in 2014 before becoming WBO bantamweight champion.
He became a global boxing sensation in 2017 when he stopped Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds, setting a record for the fastest knockout in a world-title fight.
For a boxer who came from the streets and gyms of Mdantsane, those achievements carried significance far beyond the ring.
Tete became a source of pride for his hometown, the Eastern Cape and South Africa.
A comeback that will never happen
Tete had reportedly been preparing for a return to professional boxing after his four-year suspension ended in July 2026.
His manager said he had been scheduled to return to the ring later this year, meaning the champion still had ambitions of adding another chapter to his remarkable career.
Instead, those plans have been tragically cut short.
For South African boxing fans, the loss is not only of a former world champion but of a fighter who had hoped to inspire another generation.
Remembering ‘Last Born’
Tete’s death has once again highlighted the devastating impact of violent crime, but his life should not be remembered only for the circumstances surrounding his final moments.
He should be remembered as the Mdantsane-born fighter who became a two-division world champion, carried the South African flag around the world and etched his name into boxing history.
As tributes continue to pour in, one message stands above the rest:
Lala ngoxolo, Zolani “Last Born” Tete.
Your legacy will live on.
