Former world boxing champion Zolani Tete shot dead at 38 in South Africa
Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- 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.
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.
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.
Originally published by Adevฤrul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.