The State alleges that the murder of former world boxing champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete was carefully planned, with two alleged hitmen recruited through a middleman to carry out the attack at his home.
Four men appeared in the Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday in connection with Tete’s murder and the attempted murder of his girlfriend.
Tete, 38, was shot in NU17, Mdantsane, at about 6.30pm on Friday as he waited for his gate to open.
He drove into the yard in an attempt to escape the gunfire but died at the scene.
His 27-year-old girlfriend, who was sitting in the passenger seat, was shot several times and remained in hospital.
The men before court are Siphesihle Kolisa, 28, Athandwa Gangala, 27, Sinebongo Qase, 28, and Uzuzole Goqwana, 22.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said Kolisa and Gangala were alleged to be the hitmen, while Qase allegedly acted as the middleman who recruited them.
Goqwana is alleged to have been the mastermind behind the killing.
State Alleges Premeditated Murder
Tyali said the prosecution would oppose bail because of the seriousness of the charges.
He said: "The state alleges that the murder was premeditated and that the matter falls under the ambit of Schedule 6 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
"Given the seriousness of the charges, the prosecution will vigorously oppose the granting of bail."
The State’s case is that Tete’s killing was planned before the attack took place.
The murder charge falls under Schedule 6, which is the highest bail category.
The four accused will have to prove to the magistrate that exceptional circumstances justify their release if they apply for bail under this category.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
The four men remain accused persons and are presumed innocent unless they plead guilty or are convicted.
Arrests Made Over Three Days
Goqwana was arrested on Saturday, according to Tyali.
Kolisa and Gangala were arrested at Scenery Park in KuGompo City on Sunday.
Qase was arrested on Monday.
Police recovered firearms and ammunition when Kolisa and Gangala were arrested.
The information supplied does not state how many firearms were recovered or whether the weapons have been linked to the shooting that killed Tete and wounded his girlfriend.
The investigation remains before the court as police and prosecutors work through the allegations against the four accused.
Two Accused Face Firearm Charges
Kolisa and Gangala appeared in the KuGompo Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
They abandoned their bail applications in that matter.
The firearm and ammunition charges are separate from the murder and attempted-murder case being dealt with in Mdantsane.
The two men were later named by the State as the alleged hitmen in the case involving Tete’s death.
The State alleges that each of the four accused had a different role in the attack.
The charges and allegations will be dealt with through the criminal court process.
Goqwana Held In Medical Ward
Goqwana is wheelchair-bound and was wheeled into court for the first time on Monday.
He was wearing a white T-shirt with the word “Capone” across the chest.
A khaki jacket was folded over his lap as he appeared in court.
Tyali said Goqwana was being held in the medical ward of the West Bank Correctional Centre in KuGompo City.
Goqwana and Qase are expected back in the Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court for a formal bail application next week Tuesday.
The State has indicated that it will oppose the granting of bail.
Potential Witness Released
Police spokeswoman Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said a 30-year-old man who was arrested on Saturday had been released.
The man remained a potential witness in the investigation.
His release came as police continued to investigate the shooting and the alleged roles of the four accused.
Police have not released further details about the potential witness in the information supplied for the court report.
Tete’s Final Moments
Tete was waiting for his gate to open when the gunmen allegedly opened fire.
He drove into his yard as he tried to escape the attack.
Despite reaching the property, he died at the scene.
His girlfriend was wounded in the shooting and remained in hospital.
The attempted-murder charge relates to the attack on her.
The State has not provided a motive for the alleged killing in the information supplied.
The prosecution’s case is focused on the allegation that the murder was premeditated and that the four accused were involved in different roles.
A Champion From Mdantsane
Tete grew up in Mdantsane and boxed under the name “Last Born”.
He won his first major world title in 2014 when he defeated Japan’s Teiru Kinoshita in Kobe.
The victory earned him the vacant International Boxing Federation junior-bantamweight title.
Tete went on to become a two-division world champion.
In 2017, he won the World Boxing Organization bantamweight title.
He held the WBO belt until Filipino boxer John Riel Casimero took it from him in 2019.
Tete also made boxing history in Belfast in November 2017 when he stopped fellow South African Siboniso Gonya in 11 seconds.
The result gave him the Guinness World Records mark for the fastest knockout in a world-title fight.
His career took him from Mdantsane to the world stage, where he competed for major titles and became one of South Africa’s best-known boxers.
Preparing For A Return To The Ring
Tete was killed weeks after a four-year doping ban ended on July 29.
He had been preparing to fight again.
His return to boxing was expected to mark another chapter in the career of a fighter who had already won world titles in two divisions.
Instead, his family, friends and supporters are preparing to say goodbye to him.
The criminal case involving the four accused will continue while arrangements are made to honour his life and achievements.
Memorial And Funeral Arrangements
A memorial service for Tete will be held at the Orient Theatre in KuGompo City on Wednesday.
A notice about the service was issued on behalf of his family and Boxing South Africa.
His funeral will be held in Mdantsane on Saturday.
The memorial and funeral are expected to bring together his family, boxing supporters, officials and people from the community where he grew up.
Tete’s name is closely linked to Mdantsane, where he developed as a boxer before becoming a world champion.
Bail Application Expected Next Week
Goqwana and Qase are expected back in the Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court next Tuesday for a formal bail application.
The State has said it will vigorously oppose bail because it alleges that the murder was premeditated and falls under Schedule 6.
Kolisa and Gangala have abandoned their bail applications in the firearm and ammunition case heard in KuGompo.
The four men are facing the main case involving Tete’s murder and the attempted murder of his girlfriend.
The court will deal with the allegations against them as the case moves forward.
The State alleges that Goqwana was the mastermind, Qase was the middleman and Kolisa and Gangala were the alleged hitmen.
Those allegations remain before the court.
Investigation Continues
Police recovered firearms and ammunition during the arrests of Kolisa and Gangala.
The 30-year-old man who was arrested on Saturday was later released and remains a potential witness.
The investigation into Tete’s murder and the attempted murder of his girlfriend is continuing.
The four accused will have the opportunity to respond to the charges and allegations against them.
The State will present its case through the court process.
For now, four men are facing a Schedule 6 murder allegation, two accused have abandoned their bail applications in a firearm case, and two others are due back in court for a formal bail hearing.
At the same time, Mdantsane is preparing to remember a boxer who rose from the township to become a two-division world champion.
Tete’s final fight was not in a boxing ring. His legacy, however, remains in the titles he won, the records he set and the name he made for himself as “Last Born”.
