Four arrested in South Africa over boxer Zolani Tete’s murder

Four people have been arrested in connection with the murder of former world boxing champion Zolani Tete, who was shot outside his home in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, on Friday. The 38-year-old boxer died after armed men opened fire on his vehicle as he waited for the gate of his residence to open. A 27-year-old woman travelling with him was also shot and remains in hospital.

A 22-year-old suspect arrested on Saturday is due to make an initial court appearance on Monday. He faces charges of murder and attempted murder. Three other suspects were arrested on Sunday and are expected in court on Tuesday. Two of those suspects have been charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. It has not been established whether they will also face charges linked to Tete’s killing and the shooting of the woman.

Officials said two armed men wearing balaclavas emerged from another vehicle during the attack and fired multiple shots. The circumstances indicated an ambush as Tete arrived at his home. Police confirmed the arrests after the killing prompted tributes across South Africa, but the available details do not establish a motive or identify the relationship between the suspects and the former champion.

Tete was one of South Africa’s most accomplished boxers. He held the World Boxing Federation flyweight title from 2007 to 2008, according to the career record of the late fighter. He later won the IBF super-flyweight title in 2014 before capturing the WBO bantamweight championship, which he held from 2017 to 2019. Those reigns made him a two-time world champion and placed him among the country’s leading boxing figures.

His career also included a notable victory over Liverpool’s Paul Butler in 2015. Tete fought eight times in the United Kingdom and became internationally known for his speed and power. In 2017, he stopped Siboniso Gonya in 11 seconds, a finish recognised by Guinness World Records as the fastest knockout in a title fight. His professional record stood at 29 wins, four defeats and one no-contest across 34 bouts.

Tete’s final appearance came in July 2022, when he knocked out Britain’s Jason Cunningham in London. The result was later changed to a no-contest after Tete failed a drug test for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid. UK Anti-Doping imposed a four-year ban, which expired in July this year. His manager, Mla Tengimfene, said after Tete’s death that the boxer had been training for a return to competition once he was eligible to fight again.

The killing drew responses from senior political figures. Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie said South Africa had lost “one of the finest fighters it has ever produced”. Former Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula described Tete as “a great South African who has made an immense contribution in the sport of boxing”. The tributes have followed a shooting that has again highlighted the threat of violent crime in the country. Crime statistics covering January to March recorded about 58 killings per day.

The immediate focus is now on the court appearances and the investigation into the attack. The 22-year-old suspect’s murder and attempted-murder proceedings are scheduled for Monday, while the three suspects arrested a day later are due before court on Tuesday. The injured woman’s condition and any further charges are also expected to remain central to the case as investigators work to determine who planned the ambush and why Tete was targeted.