Abducted South African journalist found dead with gunshot wounds
The body of the 54-year-old veteran broadcaster was found hours after three armed men kidnapped him near Johannesburg.
**Abducted South African journalist found dead with gunshot wounds**
**Owen Ndlovu was a familiar face to South African sports audiences after years as an SABC presenter**
Tributes are flooding in for veteran South African sports broadcaster Owen Ndlovu, who was found dead hours after being hijacked and abducted near Johannesburg.
Ndlovu, a former presenter with the country’s public broadcaster, the SABC, was taken on Tuesday while he was picking up his wife from church in the Katlehong area, police said.
His body, which witnesses said had gunshot wounds, was found by residents the next morning, hours after he was abducted.
Police have begun a manhunt for three suspects and are probing the circumstances of his killing, which has once again highlighted South Africa’s high levels of violent crime.
Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said Ndlovu had gone to collect his wife from a church service when the attackers moved in.
"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 found abandoned in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg, police said.
Ndlovu’s body was discovered beside a road on Wednesday by local residents in Thokoza. They said he appeared to have gunshot wounds.
His bag was found a few metres away on Gauteng’s East Rand, a densely populated urban and industrial area east of Johannesburg.
Police said they were investigating a murder case, but a post-mortem examination would determine 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 helped search for him after news of his abduction broke.
Ndlovu was a well-known figure to South African sports audiences after years as a presenter and producer at the SABC.
His work went beyond broadcasting. Through Michaelowen Productions, he was involved in radio coverage of South Africa’s Premier Soccer League, and later became an advocate for musicians’ rights and royalty payments.
The 54-year-old was also linked to Artists United and the SABC Summer Song of the Year initiative.
Lelo Mzaca, a fellow journalist, remembered him as someone 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, writing on the Mail & Guardian news site.
Gauteng’s provincial government called on communities to assist police with the investigation, saying tackling crime remained a priority.
The killing has once 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 cause fear in communities and that some were committed by "organised, heavily armed criminal groups that operate with planning and sophistication".