Abducted South African journalist found dead with gunshot wounds

Veteran South African sports broadcaster Owen Ndlovu was discovered dead on Wednesday, hours after being abducted following a vehicle hijacking in a township near Johannesburg. Ndlovu, a former presenter with the public broadcaster SABC, was seized on Tuesday while collecting his wife from a church in Katlehong. His body, bearing gunshot wounds, was found by residents the following morning.

Police are currently searching for three suspects and are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, which has highlighted South Africa's high levels of violent crime. Ndlovu went to pick up his wife from a religious service when three unknown men approached them, pushed her aside and forcibly took him into the back seat of his Ford Raptor pick-up truck.

The vehicle was later found abandoned in Walkerville, an area south of Johannesburg. Ndlovu's family, devastated by the loss, is awaiting further information from authorities about the circumstances of his death. The provincial government called for community assistance in the ongoing investigation, emphasizing that tackling crime remains a priority.

The killing has once again brought attention to the high levels of violent crime in South Africa, with national police figures showing over 5,000 murders and nearly 4,000 carjackings between April and June 2026.