4 Arrested Over Murder Of Boxing Champion Zolani Tete In South Africa

South African police have arrested four suspects in connection with the murder of two-time boxing world champion, Zolani Tete, who was shot dead last week in the Eastern Cape.

The suspects, aged between 22 and 28, were arrested over the weekend, according to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in a statement issued on Monday.

Police said one of the suspects has been formally charged with murder, while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the killing continue.

Tete, 38, was attacked on Friday evening while returning to his home in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape.

A 27-year-old woman who was travelling with the boxer in the car survived the shooting and is currently receiving treatment in hospital, police said.

Tete was a two-time world champion, having won the IBF junior bantamweight world title in 2014 before claiming the WBO bantamweight world title in 2017.

He made boxing history in 2017 when he knocked out his opponent with the first punch of their bout, just 11 seconds after the opening bell, while defending his WBO bantamweight title.

The feat remains the fastest knockout recorded in a world championship boxing bout.

Tete’s career, however, was interrupted after the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) agency imposed a four-year ban on him in 2023. The ban ended on July 29, and the boxer had been preparing for a return to professional boxing.

Reacting to his death, South African Sports Minister, Gayton McKenzie, described Tete as one of the country’s finest fighters.

“South Africa has lost one of the finest fighters it has ever produced,” McKenzie said in a statement.

“He was training for a return to the ring. He believed he still had something to give this country. He was right, but he will not get the chance now. He, and all of us, have been robbed.”

The police said the four suspects are expected to face further legal proceedings as investigations into the murder continue.