South African police said they have arrested four people in connection with the murder of former world boxing champion Zolani Tete, who was shot dead last week.
According to a police statement released on Monday, the four suspects, aged between 22 and 28, were taken into custody over the weekend. One of them has been formally charged with murder.
Tete, 38, was attacked on Friday evening as he returned to his home in Mdantsane, in Eastern Cape province. A 27-year-old woman who was in the car with him survived but is currently receiving hospital treatment.
Tete won the International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight title in 2014 and the World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title in 2017.
Also in 2017, he made boxing history by knocking out his opponent with the first punch in just 11 seconds, successfully defending his WBO title. It was the fastest knockout in a world title fight.
In 2023, UK Anti-Doping handed Tete a four-year ban, which was due to expire on 29 July. He had been preparing to return to professional boxing before he was killed.
South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie paid tribute, saying: “South Africa has lost one of the greatest fighters ever produced in this country. He was training to return to the ring. He believed that he could still give to this country. He was right, but now he will not get that chance. He, and all of us, have been robbed.”
