By JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s sporting community is in deep shock following the news that former two-division world champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete was shot and killed in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, on Friday, 21 August 2026. He was 38 years old.
Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, led tributes across the country, expressing profound sadness at the tragic loss of one of South Africa’s most celebrated boxing exports.
“South Africa has lost an extraordinary sportsman and a champion whose achievements brought immense pride to our country,” Maile stated, extending his condolences to Tete’s family, friends, and fans worldwide.
A Legacy Written in Speed and Silverware
Rising from Mdantsane—a township famed as the beating heart of South African boxing—Tete amassed an staggering amateur record of over 400 fights with just three losses, capturing three national gold medals. Turning professional in 2006 at 18, Tete quickly established a reputation as a fearless, road-tested southpaw willing to travel into enemy territory.
Across a distinguished professional career, Tete secured a record of 29 wins—22 by way of knockout—against four defeats and one no-contest. His trophy cabinet included the IBF junior-bantamweight world championship, won in Japan against Teiru Kinoshita in 2014, and the WBO bantamweight world title, alongside numerous regional and international belts. He defended his world titles in England, Northern Ireland, Russia, and Japan, regularly facing the division’s best away from home.
His defining moment came on 18 November 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, when he stopped Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds to claim the fastest knockout in world championship boxing history.
“Very few South African athletes can say that they reached the summit of their sport in two different weight divisions and wrote their name into the global record books. Zolani did both,” Maile highlighted. “Championship belts can change hands, but history cannot be taken away.”
Outrage Over Tragic Loss
MEC Maile voiced sharp concern over the violent circumstances surrounding Tete’s death and called on law enforcement to act decisively. A woman injured during the same shooting incident is currently recovering.
“It is deeply painful that the life of a man who survived countless rounds in boxing rings around the world could be ended through an act of violence at home,” Maile noted, urging the South African Police Service to bring those responsible to justice.
Tete leaves behind a legacy of resilience, skill, and world-class sportsmanship that established him as an icon of South African sport.
