Veteran Sports Broadcaster Killed After Carjacking Near Johannesburg

(South African broadcaster Owen Ndlovu. Photo by BBC NEws)

South African sports broadcaster Owen Ndlovu has been found dead hours after being abducted when gunmen hijacked his vehicle near Johannesburg.

The former SABC presenter was seized Tuesday while picking up his wife from a church service in Katlehong, a township south of the city.

Police say three armed men forced his way into his vehicle, pushed his wife aside and drove off with him in the back seat.

The Ford pickup truck was later found abandoned in Walkerville.

Local residents discovered Ndlovu's body the next morning on a roadside in nearby Thokoza with what appeared to be gunshot wounds.

A bag belonging to him was found metres away.

Authorities have launched a manhunt for three suspects and are investigating the circumstances.

A post-mortem will confirm the cause of death.

The family described the loss as devastating and thanked residents and police who helped search after his abduction became public.

Ndlovu was a familiar face to South African sports fans during his years as a presenter and producer at the state broadcaster.

He worked on 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 involved with Artists United and the SABC Summer Song of the Year project.

Fellow journalist Lelo Mzaca remembered him as someone who lived a colourful, energetic life and brought enthusiasm to sports broadcasting.

The killing has drawn fresh attention to violent crime in South Africa where armed robberies and vehicle hijackings remain widespread.

Police figures from April to June 2026 recorded over 5,000 murders and nearly 4,000 carjackings.