South African police are hunting three suspects after veteran sports broadcaster Owen Ndlovu was found dead with gunshot wounds, a day after he was hijacked.
The 54-year-old former SABC presenter was abducted on Tuesday in Katlehong while collecting his wife from a church service.
Provincial police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said three unknown men, one thought to be armed, approached the couple as the wife walked to their car. They pushed her aside and forced Ndlovu into the back seat before driving away.
His Ford Raptor pick-up, known locally as a bakkie, was later recovered abandoned in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg.
Residents found his body the next morning beside a road in Thokoza, which neighbours Katlehong. A bag belonging to him was found a short distance away. Police said a post-mortem will confirm the cause of death, but witnesses said he appeared to have been shot.
The family described the death as devastating. Spokesperson Eugene Mthethwa said they are awaiting further details from authorities and thanked those who helped search for him.
Ndlovu was a familiar voice to sports fans after years as a presenter and producer at the SABC, including radio coverage of the Premier Soccer League. He later became an advocate for musicians’ rights and royalty payments and was associated with Artists United and the SABC Summer Song of the Year initiative.
Tributes have since poured in. Fellow journalist Lelo Mzaca said he lived a colourful, energetic life and brought flair to sports broadcasting, adding that South Africa had lost a unique and spirited individual.
The provincial government has urged communities to assist the investigation.
The killing has renewed focus on violent crime in the country. National figures for April to June 2026 show more than 5,000 murders and close to 4,000 carjackings.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said last month when releasing the figures that serious crimes continue to create fear and that some are carried out by organised, heavily armed groups operating with planning and sophistication.
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