Former SABC Sports presenter and music rights activist Owen Ndlovu, 54, was found dead in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni on Wednesday 16 September 2026 after three armed men hijacked and kidnapped him the night before while he was collecting his wife from a church service in Katlehong. Image: supplied
Former SABC Sports presenter and music rights activist Owen Ndlovu, 54, was found dead in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni on Wednesday morning 16 September 2026. The Owen Ndlovu death came after three armed men hijacked and kidnapped him the night before. They attacked him while he collected his wife Portia from a church service in Katlehong. Furthermore, residents found his body next to a road in Thokoza with gunshot wounds. His bag lay a few metres away. As a result, Portia Ndlovu identified his body at the mortuary and the family confirmed his death on Wednesday afternoon.
The hijacking happened at approximately 20h00 on Tuesday 15 September 2026. As Portia approached their vehicle after church, three men pushed her aside. One of them allegedly carried a firearm. They forced Ndlovu into the back seat of his Ford Raptor and drove off. Police later found the Ford Raptor abandoned and stripped in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg. Furthermore, Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the manhunt. Katlehong police are searching for the three suspects. As a result, the Germiston Trio Unit is investigating a murder case and police will conduct a post-mortem to establish the official cause of death.
Ndlovu was not only a media figure but also a prominent music rights activist. He founded Artists United, an organisation that fought for the rights and royalties of South African musicians. At the time of his death he was fighting SAMRO over royalties and governance. His case centred on allegations that more than R60 million meant for artists had been improperly handled. An interim protection order between SAMRO CEO Annabel Lebethe and Ndlovu fell away in July 2026. Furthermore, the court had scheduled a further appearance for Thursday 17 September 2026. That was the day after residents found his body. As a result, his death came at an extraordinarily sensitive moment in the legal battle he had fought for years to protect South African artists.
A video of Ndlovu speaking about the SAMRO dispute spread widely on social media after news of his killing broke. He spoke about his campaign to have Lebethe removed from office and his concerns about how SAMRO managed royalties owed to musicians. Social media users drew their own conclusions about the timing of his death and the SAMRO dispute. However, police have not established any connection between the legal dispute and his murder. Furthermore, the motive for the hijacking and killing remains unknown. As a result, investigators urge South Africans to allow them to do their work before drawing conclusions.
Ndlovu worked at SABC Sport for many years and was a familiar face and voice for South African sports fans. His death prompted an outpouring of grief from the media and entertainment community. Family spokesperson Eugene Mthethwa thanked the residents who found Ndlovu, members of the public who assisted in the search and SAPS. Furthermore, the family appealed for privacy as it came to terms with its loss. As a result, tributes for Ndlovu poured in from colleagues, musicians and South Africans who knew his work on screen and off.
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