South African boxing is mourning the death of former world champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete, who was shot outside his home in Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape.
Tete was 38.
A 27-year-old woman who was with him was also shot and remains in hospital, according to Reuters. Police are investigating and the motive remains unclear.
A champion remembered
Tete became an international name after winning the IBF junior-bantamweight title in 2014 and later the WBO bantamweight championship.
He also made boxing history in 2017 when he stopped Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds, one of the fastest knockouts recorded in a world-title fight.
More than a boxer
Tete came from Mdantsane, a community with a long tradition of producing South African boxing talent.
His death therefore resonates beyond the sport itself.
The loss of a world champion is painful enough.
The circumstances surrounding Tete's death raise another difficult conversation about violent crime and the safety of communities across South Africa.
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