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.
