Zolani Tete Murder.Accused, Alleged Mastermind and Middleman Denied Bail
The Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court in KuGompo in the Eastern Cape has officially denied bail to two men accused of playing pivotal roles in the assassination of former boxing world champion Zolani Tete.
The decision, delivered on Friday, September 18, 2026, leaves the 22-year-old alleged mastermind, Uzuzole “Uzo” Goqwana, and the alleged middleman, Sinebongo Qase (28), behind bars.
The state opposes their release, arguing that the execution-style hit on the 38-year-old boxer was meticulously premeditated.
Tete, a celebrated two-time division world champion known as “Last Born,” was gunned down on August 21, 2026, outside his home in NU17, Mdantsane.
He was waiting for his gate to open when masked gunmen ambushed his vehicle. Tete attempted to escape by driving into his yard but succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds at the scene.
His 27-year-old girlfriend, who was in the passenger seat, survived the attack but sustained severe injuries.
State prosecutors allege that a bitter personal feud sparked the assassination.
Goqwana, who is paraplegic and uses a wheelchair due to a prior shooting, reportedly orchestrated a R100,000 hit on Tete.
According to court affidavits, Goqwana claimed Tete had previously threatened him after discovering a romantic relationship between Goqwana and the boxer’s estranged wife.
The prosecution alleges that Goqwana hired Qase to act as a middleman and recruit the hitmen.
During the high-profile bail proceedings, Goqwana’s defense team argued that his paraplegic state and complex daily medical requirements constituted “exceptional circumstances” that justified his release on bail.
He has been held under medical supervision at the West Bank Correctional Centre.
However, the State’s case was significantly bolstered by new forensic developments.
The prosecution introduced a decisive ballistics report linking the recovered firearms directly to the crime scene.
Despite defense objections accusing the state of leveraging late evidence, the magistrate admitted the report into the record.
This evidence, paired with alleged confessions from the accused regarding their roles and the R60,000 partial payout to the shooters, ultimately convinced the court that the suspects pose a flight risk and a danger to public safety.
Goqwana and Qase are part of a group of four suspects facing eight criminal charges related to the incident.
The two alleged hitmen, Siphesihle Kolisa (28) and Athandwa Gangala (27), abandoned their bail bids early in the proceedings and remain remanded in custody.
Police are reportedly still searching for a fifth suspect believed to have driven the getaway vehicle.
Large, emotional crowds gathered outside the Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court ahead of the
