South African police have arrested four men in connection with the killing of former world boxing champion Zolani Tete, a fighter celebrated for rising from the township of Mdantsane to global prominence.

According to Eastern Cape authorities, Tete was sitting in his car outside his home in Mdantsane when gunmen wearing balaclavas opened fire at close range. He had reportedly just arrived and was waiting for his gate to open when two armed assailants approached and ambushed him. A woman who was in the vehicle with him was wounded in the attack and remains in hospital.

Police said one suspect was detained shortly after the shooting, with three additional arrests following as investigators pursued leads in the township and surrounding areas. The first suspect taken into custody was expected to appear in court, while the remaining three are due to appear at a later stage as the case is prepared for prosecution.

Detectives from the Eastern Cape’s serious and violent crime unit are leading the investigation. Officers have not disclosed a possible motive, and authorities are still working to determine whether the killing was a targeted hit or linked to broader criminal activity in the region. Ballistic tests and forensic analysis of the crime scene are under way, and police have appealed to residents of Mdantsane to come forward with any information that could strengthen the case.

Tete, widely known by his nickname “Last Born,” was one of South Africa’s most accomplished boxers. He held the World Boxing Federation flyweight title from 2007 to 2008 before moving up the ranks to capture the World Boxing Organization bantamweight title, which he held in separate reigns in 2017 and 2019. His technical skill, southpaw stance and knockout power made him a feared opponent on the international stage.

Beyond his achievements in the ring, Tete was regarded as a role model in Mdantsane, a township long considered a cradle of South African boxing talent. He frequently spoke about using sport to steer young people away from crime and drugs, and he was involved in local initiatives aimed at nurturing the next generation of fighters.

The arrests have brought some measure of relief to a community stunned by the loss of one of its most prominent figures, but friends, family and fans are now looking to the courts for answers and justice in a case that has shaken South African sport.