Abducted South African journalist found dead with gunshot wounds

Tributes are pouring in for a veteran South African sports broadcaster who was found dead on Wednesday hours after being abducted when his vehicle was hijacked in a township near Johannesburg.

Owen Ndlovu, a former presenter with the country’s public broadcaster, the SABC, was seized on Tuesday while collecting his wife from a church in Katlehong, police said.

His body, which witnesses said had gunshot wounds, was discovered by residents the following morning.

Police have launched a manhunt for three suspects and are investigating the circumstances surrounding his killing, which has once again drawn attention to South Africa’s high levels of violent crime.

Provincial police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said Ndlovu had gone to pick up his wife from a religious service when the attackers struck.

“As she approached their vehicle, three unknown men, one reportedly armed with a firearm, suddenly approached them, pushed her aside and forced her husband into the back seat,” she said.

“The suspects then drove off with the victim.”

The vehicle, a Ford Raptor pick-up truck – commonly known as a bakkie in South Africa – was later recovered abandoned in Walkerville, an area south of Johannesburg, police said.

Ndlovu’s body was found by local residents beside a road in Thokoza, which neighbours Katlehong. They said he appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds.

A bag of his was found a few metres away.

Police said they were investigating a case of murder but a post-mortem examination would establish the cause of death.

“At this stage, the family is awaiting further information from the relevant authorities regarding the circumstances surrounding Owen’s death,” said family spokesperson Eugene Mthethwa.

The family described the loss as “devastating” and thanked residents, police and members of the public who had helped search for him after news of his abduction emerged.

Ndlovu was a familiar figure to South African sports fans after years working as a presenter and producer at the SABC.

He was also involved in radio coverage of the country’s Premier Soccer League and later became an advocate for musicians’ rights and royalty payments.

The 54-year-old was also associated with Artists United and the SABC Summer Song of the Year initiative.

Lelo Mzaca, a fellow journalist, remembered him as a man who lived a “colourful, energetic life” and brought enthusiasm and flair to sports broadcasting.

“South Africa has lost a unique and spirited individual whose light shone brightly while it lasted,” Mzaca added in a tribute on the Mail & Guardian news site.

The provincial government urged communities to help police with the investigation, saying tackling crime remained a priority.

The killing has again drawn attention to violent crime in South Africa, where armed robberies and vehicle hijackings remain a major concern.

The latest national police figures, covering April to June 2026, recorded more than 5,000 murders and close to 4,000 carjackings.

When releasing the figures last month, acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said serious crimes continued to create fear in communities and that some were carried out by “organised, heavily armed criminal groups that operate with planning and sophistication”.