By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SA Police Services (SAPS) have confirmed that the former two-time boxing world champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete has been shot dead in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana says the shooting incident happened at around 6.30pm.
According to Gantana, the 38-year-old male victim was arriving at his residence and waiting for the gate to open when he and a 27-year-old female passenger were ambushed by two unknown armed suspects, wearing balaclavas.
She said the suspects emerged from a vehicle and opened fire on them.
“In an attempt to escape the hail of bullets, the deceased drove his vehicle into the yard. He unfortunately succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased on the scene.”
The female passenger sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. She remains hospitalised,” Gantana said.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are still unknown as investigations continue.
Tete was known for holding the WBF Flyweight and WBO Bantamweight world titles.
He was expected to come back to the ring, having been absent since testing positive for the steroid stanozolo.
He had not been in the ring since defeating British boxer Jason Cunningham in Wembley Arena in July 2022.
Tete won the International Boxing Federation junior bantamweight title in Kobe, Japan, in July 2014 by stopping Teiru Kinoshita. He held the World Boxing Organisation bantamweight title from 2017 until he lost it to John Riel Casimero in Birmingham in November 2019.
Tete fought 34 times as a professional, won 29 and stopped 22 of his opponents. He grew up in Mdantsane, started boxing at eight and was trained by former world champion Vuyani Bungu.