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Former world boxing champion Zolani Tete shot dead at 38 in South Africa
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด Romania /Sports

Former world boxing champion Zolani Tete shot dead at 38 in South Africa

From Adevฤƒrul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Former world champion boxer Zolani Tete was shot and killed at his home in South Africa at age 38.
  • Tete was in his car waiting for his gate to open when masked assailants opened fire, also injuring a 27-year-old woman.
  • Police are investigating the murder, with the motive currently unknown, as Tete was preparing for a comeback after a four-year break.

South African boxing is reeling from the tragic death of Zolani Tete, a former world champion in two weight classes, who was gunned down at his home in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, at the age of 38. The incident occurred Friday evening as Tete returned from training. Reports indicate Tete was in his car, waiting for his gate to open, when two masked men arrived in another vehicle and began shooting.

For Kalsel, especially Banjarmasin, we see for ourselves, it's not too severe.

โ€” Muhammad AliThe Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral Muhammad Ali, stated that the haze was not as severe as reported on social media after inspecting the forest and land fire situation in South Kalimantan.

Tete attempted to drive into his yard to escape the attackers but was fatally wounded. A 27-year-old woman in the car with him was also shot multiple times and taken to the hospital. South African police are treating the case as a murder and have launched an investigation to identify the perpetrators. No arrests have been made, and the motive remains unclear.

We inspected together and it turned out it wasn't severe. There were no helicopters today. Usually, if it's severe, helicopters are there spraying, this one isn't. That means it's not severe.

โ€” MuhidinThe Governor of South Kalimantan, Muhidin, also commented on the haze situation after inspecting affected areas, noting the absence of firefighting helicopters as an indicator of its severity.

The boxer's death is particularly poignant as he was reportedly preparing for a return to the ring after a four-year hiatus. Tete was considered one of the most accomplished South African boxers of his generation, holding world titles in the super-flyweight (IBF) and bantamweight (WBO) divisions. He concluded his career with an impressive record of 29 wins (22 by knockout), four losses, and one no contest. His career highlight included a historic 11-second knockout victory over compatriot Siboniso Gonya in 2017, earning him a Guinness World Record for the fastest KO in a world title fight.

Hopefully, the smoke can decrease soon.

โ€” MuhidinThe Governor of South Kalimantan expressed hope for an improvement in the haze situation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Adevฤƒrul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.