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Two men arrested in Zolani Tete murder case as police say more arrests may follow
Eastern Cape police have arrested two men in connection with the murder of former two-weight world boxing champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete, marking the first major breakthrough in the investigation into the fatal shooting.
The two men, aged 30 and 22, were arrested in Ku Gompo on Saturday following what police described as an intelligence-driven operation involving several law-enforcement units. They are being questioned in connection with Tete’s murder and the attempted murder of the 27-year-old woman who was travelling with him.
Two suspects now in custody
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana confirmed that the two men were in custody, but stressed that investigators were not yet releasing details about the circumstances surrounding their arrests.
“Due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation, the SAPS is unable to disclose further details regarding the motive or the circumstances surrounding the arrests at this time,” Gantana said.
She added that investigators were pursuing several leads and warned that further arrests could follow.
“Investigators are following up on several leads, and more arrests are imminent,” Gantana said.
The arrests come after police earlier on Saturday strongly rejected reports circulating on social media that suspects had already been apprehended.
At the time, Gantana described those reports as “false and unfounded” and urged the public not to circulate unverified information.
No confirmation suspects were shot
There is currently no credible police confirmation that the two men arrested in connection with Tete’s murder were shot during their apprehension.
Police have also not disclosed whether the men sustained any injuries during the operation. Gantana said the circumstances of the arrests could not be revealed because of the sensitive nature of the investigation.
This means reports or social media claims suggesting that the alleged perpetrators were shot should be treated with caution unless confirmed by SAPS.
How Tete was killed
Tete, 38, was shot dead outside his home in NU17, Mdantsane, on Friday evening.
Police said he was sitting in his vehicle waiting for the gate to open when two armed men wearing balaclavas approached from another vehicle and opened fire.
Tete attempted to escape the attack by driving into his yard, but suffered fatal injuries and was declared dead at the scene.
“In an attempt to escape the hail of bullets, the deceased drove his vehicle into the yard. He unfortunately succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased on the scene,” Gantana said.
The woman who was travelling with him suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to hospital, where she remains.
The motive for the attack has not been established.
Tete was preparing for a boxing comeback
Tete was one of South Africa’s most accomplished professional boxers.
Born and raised in Mdantsane, he started boxing at the age of eight and was trained by former world champion Vuyani Bungu. He went on to become a world champion in two weight divisions.
He won the IBF junior bantamweight title in 2014 before claiming the WBO bantamweight championship in 2017. He finished his professional career with 29 victories from 34 fights, including 22 wins by knockout.
Tete also holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest knockout in a world title fight. In November 2017, he stopped Siboniso Gonya in just 11 seconds in Belfast.
He had been out of the ring since 2022 following a doping case, but his four-year ban ended on 29 July 2026. Tete had maintained that he had never knowingly taken the prohibited substance and had spoken earlier this year about his plans to return to boxing.
Police appeal for information
Police are continuing to investigate the killing and have appealed to anyone with credible information to come forward.
Gantana urged the public not to speculate or spread unverified claims, warning that such information could interfere with the investigation and future court proceedings.
Information can be provided to Inyibiba SAPS or Crime Stop on 08600 10111. Police said information would be treated confidentially.
Economy
Kimberley’s Benjie makes history with MasterChef SA win and R1 million prize
Andrew “Benjie” Benjamin has cooked his way into South African television history after being crowned the winner of MasterChef South Africa Season 6.
The 40-year-old home cook from Kimberley in the Northern Cape beat Durban finalist Candice Meth in the tense finale on Sunday, 16 August, walking away with the coveted title and a R1 million cash prize. His victory also made him the first contestant from the Northern Cape to win the competition.
For Benjie, the achievement was about far more than winning a reality television competition.
“I thought I wouldn’t even make it past episode two,” he admitted, crediting his wife for encouraging him to remain in the competition and take it “one episode at a time”.
He said the victory was particularly meaningful because of what it could represent for his family and people from his home province.
“There was a time when I thought that I wouldn’t make it even past episode two,” Benjamin said. “My wife encouraged me to stay on there.”
From high-voltage lines to the MasterChef kitchen
Benjie’s journey is unusual because cooking is not his full-time profession.
The Kimberley-born contestant works in high-voltage electrical line maintenance, dealing with hazardous electricity transmission lines, while cooking has remained a passion outside his day job.
He entered the competition alongside 19 other home cooks and quickly established himself as one of the contestants to watch.
Benjie earned his first Dish of the Day in only the second episode and went on to win seven challenges before reaching the final. One of those victories gave him a valuable 10-minute advantage for the final cook.
Throughout the competition, judges and fellow contestants affectionately nicknamed him “Benjie Baby”.
His playful approach to food also became part of his identity on the show. One of his standout creations was a sophisticated take on two-minute noodles, which he transformed into “Crêpes Suzette Benjette”.
Judge Chef Katlego Mlambo reportedly named it her favourite Benjie dish of the season, while a lamb pie also impressed London-based guest judge Chef Nokx Majozi.
A high-pressure finale
The final challenge saw Benjie go head-to-head with 39-year-old Candice Meth in a two-hour cook-off.
The finalists were tasked with creating a three-course meal that reflected their journeys throughout the competition.
Benjie prepared pan-fried salmon with leeks and white wine sauce as his starter, followed by pork belly with fennel and apple purées, mushy peas and red wine jus.
For dessert, he served meringue, vanilla sponge cake, raspberry coulis, chocolate crème pâtissière and vanilla ice cream.
The pressure was intense, particularly when his decision to bake the apples to intensify their flavour cost him precious time.
But he managed to complete his menu before the clock ran out.
Judges impressed by his final menu
Benjie had already been regarded as a strong contender, but his final performance ultimately convinced the judges that he deserved the title.
Ahead of the final cook, judge Justine Drake described him as a “dark horse”, while Zola Nene called him “laser-focused”.
His final dishes continued to impress.
The judges praised the execution of his salmon, while his pork belly stood out for its balance of flavours.
Nene went as far as describing the main course as something that could be seen “in a fine-dining restaurant”.
That combination of technical ability, creativity and composure ultimately gave Benjie the edge over Meth.
A victory for the Northern Cape
Benjie’s win has also become a source of pride for the Northern Cape, shining a spotlight on the province’s food traditions and homegrown culinary talent.
The new champion hopes his journey will encourage other people from the province to believe in their own abilities.
“We can make great food and compete with the best in the rest of the country,” he said.
He pointed to the diversity of the province, mentioning communities including Roodepan, Springbok, De Aar, Kuruman and the Kalahari as places with their own flavours and cooking traditions.
“Hopefully, my journey gives people the confidence to express themselves in the kitchen, too,” he said.
What’s next for Benjie?
Despite winning R1 million and becoming South Africa’s newest MasterChef, Benjie is not rushing to abandon his career.
He has said he still loves his day job and believes there is room for both his electrical work and his passion for cooking.
“I still love my day job, but there’s a place for both the job and cooking in my life,” he said.
As for his prize money, Benjie has more grounded plans. He wants to make renovations at home and spoil the family members who supported him throughout his journey.
He has also hinted at exploring his love for noodles further, with the possibility of a cookbook centred on the versatile ingredient.
For now, however, Benjie Baby can savour a remarkable achievement – a home cook from Kimberley has conquered one of South Africa’s biggest culinary competitions and brought the MasterChef crown to the Northern Cape for the first time.
MasterChef SA Season 6 in context
The sixth season of MasterChef South Africa premiered in February 2026 and concluded on 16 August after 26 episodes. The competition is built around amateur cooks competing in a series of culinary challenges, with contestants judged on their technical skills, creativity and ability to perform under pressure.
Benjie’s victory therefore represents the culmination of months of competition – and a major milestone for a contestant who entered the kitchen as a passionate home cook and left as South Africa’s latest MasterChef champion.
