Four arrested over boxing champion's murder in South Africa

Four arrested over boxing champion's murder in South Africa Four individuals have been taken into custody in connection with the killing of former world champion Zolani Tete. The 38‑year‑old boxer was shot dead in an ambush on Friday in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, while seated in his car awaiting the gate to his residence to open. A 27‑year‑old woman who was riding with him also sustained gunshot wounds and remains hospitalized. Police said two armed assailants wearing balaclavas emerged from a vehicle and fired “multiple shots” at Tete and his passenger. One suspect, a 22‑year‑old man arrested on Saturday, is scheduled to appear in court on Monday and faces charges of murder and attempted murder. The remaining three suspects, detained on Sunday, are due before a judge on Tuesday; two of them have already been charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, while it is still undetermined whether they will additionally face homicide allegations. Tete’s professional résumé includes holding the WBO bantamweight title from 2017 to 2019 and the IBF super‑flyweight crown in 2014. He served a four‑year suspension that expired in July of this year. His career record stands at 29 wins, 34 fights, four losses and one no‑contest. Among his notable achievements, he recorded the fastest knockout in a title bout—ending a fight with Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds in 2017—and defeated Liverpool’s Paul Butler in 2015 during one of his eight appearances in the United Kingdom. His most recent contest occurred in July 2022, when he stopped Briton Jason Cunningham by knockout in London; the result was later overturned to a no‑contest after he tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol, prompting a ban from the UK Anti‑Doping Agency. His manager, Mla Tengimfene, confirmed after Tete’s death that the fighter had been preparing for a comeback once his suspension ended. Tributes have flooded in for the two‑time world champion. South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie declared, “South Africa has lost one of the finest fighters it has ever produced.” Former Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula added, lamenting the loss of “a great South African who has made an immense contribution to the sport of boxing.” Authorities note that South Africa continues to experience one of the highest murder rates worldwide. Recent crime statistics covering January through March of this year indicate that roughly 58 people were killed each day. The motive behind the attack on Tete remains under investigation.