Former SABC sports presenter Owen Ndlovu was found dead in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni, on Wednesday, a day after he was allegedly hijacked and kidnapped while fetching his wife from church.
Ndlovu’s family confirmed his death after residents found his body beside a road. Family spokesperson Eugene Mthethwa said residents reported that Ndlovu had suffered gunshot wounds and that his bag was found a few metres from where his body was discovered.
“The family has since gone to the mortuary, where Owen’s wife, Portia Ndlovu, identified his body,” Mthethwa said.
The discovery ended a search that began after Ndlovu was allegedly forced into his Ford Raptor bakkie in Katlehong on Tuesday evening. Police said the incident happened at about 20:00 when he was fetching his wife from church.
According to the police version, three unknown men approached Ndlovu and his wife as they came towards their vehicle. One of the men was reportedly armed with a firearm. The suspects allegedly pushed his wife aside and forced Ndlovu into the back of the bakkie before driving away.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the hijacking and kidnapping.
“As the wife 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 of his Ford Raptor bakkie,” she said.
“The suspects then drove off with the victim.”
The hijacked bakkie was later recovered abandoned in Walkerville. Ndlovu’s body was found dumped next to a road in Thokoza.
Police have opened a murder investigation, but the circumstances surrounding Ndlovu’s death have not yet been established. A postmortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death and provide investigators with further evidence.
Nevhuhulwi said the Germiston Trio Unit was investigating the case.
“The Germiston Trio Unit is now investigating a case of murder,” she said.
No arrests have been announced. The suspects remain unidentified and police have not said whether the bakkie, Ndlovu’s bag or any other evidence has led them to a possible suspect.
Search Ends In Tragedy
Ndlovu was reported missing after the alleged kidnapping on Tuesday night. His family and members of the community searched for information about his whereabouts while police worked to locate him.
The discovery of his body on Wednesday brought a devastating end to the search. Mthethwa said the family had been informed by the people who found Ndlovu and was now waiting for further information from the authorities.
The family has not released details about the circumstances of the alleged hijacking beyond the police information. It has asked members of the public and the media to respect its privacy while relatives come to terms with the loss.
Mthethwa said the family was grateful to the residents who found Ndlovu and to everyone who assisted during the search.
“The family appeals to the public and the media to respect its privacy as it comes to terms with this devastating loss.”
“We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the residents who found Owen and to everyone who assisted in the search for him. We also thank members of the public who shared information, made enquiries, offered support and stood with the family during the search.”
The family also thanked the South African Police Service and others who assisted in trying to locate Ndlovu.
“The family will provide further information when appropriate,” Mthethwa said.
The death has left Ndlovu’s relatives waiting for answers about what happened between the time he was forced into the vehicle and the time his body was found in Thokoza.
Police Investigation
The investigation will focus on establishing the identities of the three men, the route taken by the Ford Raptor and the reason Ndlovu was killed. Detectives will also need to determine whether the murder was linked to the hijacking or whether other motives may have been involved.
The recovery of the bakkie in Walkerville may help investigators reconstruct the suspects’ movements. The vehicle will be examined for fingerprints, DNA, blood and other evidence. Investigators may also look for surveillance footage from roads, businesses and homes along the route.
Ndlovu’s bag, which was found close to the body, may also provide clues. Police could examine its contents, fingerprints and location to determine whether it was removed from the vehicle or discarded after the killing.
The postmortem examination will be important because residents reportedly told the family that Ndlovu had gunshot wounds. Police have not yet confirmed the injuries and will rely on forensic findings to establish the cause and manner of death.
The investigation may also depend on information from Ndlovu’s wife, who was reportedly present when the suspects approached them. Her account could help detectives establish how the attack unfolded, what the suspects looked like and which direction they took after forcing Ndlovu into the vehicle.
The identity of the person or people who found Ndlovu may also be important. Their statements could establish when and where the body was discovered and whether they saw any vehicles or suspicious activity nearby.
Police have not appealed for specific information from the public in the supplied statement, but anyone who saw the Ford Raptor, the suspects or unusual activity in Katlehong, Walkerville or Thokoza could potentially assist the investigation.
Members of the public should not approach anyone they suspect. Information should be reported to the police so that it can be assessed and investigated safely.
Family Remembers Ndlovu
Ndlovu was known to many South Africans through his work as a sports presenter at the SABC. His death has brought public attention to a case that began as a reported hijacking and kidnapping and ended with a murder investigation.
The family has not yet provided a detailed tribute or announced funeral arrangements. Its immediate focus is on identifying the facts and preparing for the loss of a husband, relative and well-known former broadcaster.
Mthethwa said the family was awaiting further information from the relevant authorities. That information is likely to include the results of the postmortem, progress in identifying the suspects and an explanation of what happened after the bakkie was taken.
The family’s appeal for privacy comes as public interest grows. Former colleagues, sports fans and members of the community may want to express their condolences, but relatives have asked for space while they mourn.
The family also expressed appreciation for residents who assisted during the search. Their actions helped bring Ndlovu’s whereabouts to light, even though the outcome was tragic.
No Arrests Yet
At this stage, police have not announced an arrest. The three men involved in the alleged kidnapping remain unidentified, and it has not been confirmed whether they were acting alone or as part of a larger group.
The murder investigation will need to establish whether the suspects knew Ndlovu or selected him during a random hijacking. Police will also need to determine whether the Ford Raptor was targeted because of its value or whether the kidnapping was connected to another dispute.
The recovery of the vehicle does not by itself identify the people who allegedly drove it. Detectives will need to gather evidence that places specific suspects inside the vehicle and connects them to the kidnapping and murder.
A criminal investigation may include cellphone records, banking information, surveillance footage, forensic evidence and statements from witnesses. Any arrests will have to be supported by evidence that can withstand scrutiny in court.
The suspects, once identified and arrested, will be presumed innocent until the allegations against them are tested in court.
For now, the case remains one of a former broadcaster allegedly kidnapped while fetching his wife from church, a hijacked bakkie later found abandoned in Walkerville and a body discovered in Thokoza the following day.
The sequence of events has left Ndlovu’s family demanding answers while police search for the people responsible. Investigators will have to establish where he was taken, whether he was shot inside or outside the vehicle and why his body was dumped beside the road.
The answers may come from the forensic examination, evidence recovered from the bakkie and information from members of the public who saw the vehicle or the suspects.
Ndlovu’s death has brought grief to his family and former colleagues, but it has also highlighted the danger of violent hijackings and kidnappings in Gauteng. The family has thanked everyone who helped search for him and has asked that its privacy be respected.
The Germiston Trio Unit continues to investigate the murder. Police have not provided a timetable for the case, and no arrests have been announced.
As the investigation continues, the family is waiting for the authorities to explain how the alleged hijacking became a kidnapping and how Ndlovu came to be found dead in Thokoza. The family has said it will provide more information when appropriate.
