Mdantsane; Former two-division world boxing champion Zolani Tete was shot and killed outside his residence in South Africa on Friday, government and law enforcement officials confirmed. The 38-year-old former champion was targeted while seated inside his car, while a 27-year-old female passenger sustained multiple gunshot wounds during the attack and was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency medical treatment.
According to police authorities, the fatal shooting occurred in Mdantsane, situated in the Eastern Cape province. Investigators stated that Tete had just arrived at his home and was waiting for the entrance gate to open when two unidentified armed assailants wearing balaclavas ambushed the vehicle, opening fire at close range before fleeing the scene.
South Africa’s Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie expressed shock and grief over the killing, mourning the loss of one of the nation’s celebrated pugilists. Tete established a distinguished career on the international stage, previously capturing the WBF flyweight world championship between 2007 and 2008 before claiming the WBO bantamweight world title in 2017 and defending it through 2019. Local authorities have launched a murder investigation and a manhunt to identify and capture the suspects.
