Former SABC sports presenter and music rights activist Owen Ndlovu has been found dead following a harrowing hijacking and kidnapping ordeal on Gauteng’s East Rand.
The 54-year-old was ambushed in Katlehong at around 8 pm on Tuesday night. According to police reports, Ndlovu was arriving to collect his wife, Portia, from a church service when tragedy struck.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that three unidentified men, one of whom was armed with a firearm, accosted the couple. The attackers reportedly pushed Ndlovu’s wife out of the way before forcing the broadcaster into the back seat of his Ford Raptor bakkie and speeding away into the night.
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The search ended in heartbreak on Wednesday when Ndlovu’s body was discovered dumped along a road in nearby Thokoza. While a postmortem is being conducted to officially establish the cause of death, his family and preliminary reports confirmed he had sustained gunshot wounds.
His vehicle was later found abandoned and reportedly stripped in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg. Authorities are treating the horrific incident as a hijacking and kidnapping, and police in Katlehong have launched a massive manhunt for the three suspects. Nevhuhulwi has urged members of the public with any information that could assist in identifying and arresting the perpetrators to contact the Crime Stop line or provide anonymous tip-offs via the MySaps application.
Beyond his memorable stint as a much-loved sports presenter and commentator on the national broadcaster, Ndlovu was deeply involved in the entertainment industry as a music rights activist. He was the founder of United Artists and was widely recognised for his tireless advocacy on behalf of musicians fighting for outstanding royalties.
Ndlovu’s family released a formal statement on Wednesday afternoon confirming his tragic passing. The senseless killing has sent shockwaves through the country, leaving both the sporting and music communities in deep mourning.
