Two weeks before Owen Ndlovu was murdered, burglars broke into his lawyers’ offices and took the laptops holding his SAMRO case files.
The burglary was reported at Sunnyside police station under CAS 898/8/2026.
“They took our laptops and cellphones. The laptops had the documents we were working on in the SAMRO matters, including the matter involving the former COO, Mpho Mofikoe,” said Thandi Ketwa of Ketwa Attorneys.
“Police lifted fingerprints at the scene and are waiting for them to be matched against Home Affairs records. Nobody has been arrested,” she continued.
Ndlovu was killed on 15 September. Three men forced him into his Ford Raptor in Katlehong at about 8pm, in front of his wife, Portia Ndlovu.
His body was found the next morning, dumped beside a road in Thokoza. His bag was found a few metres from his body.
The Germiston Trio Crimes unit is investigating the murder. A post-mortem will establish the cause of death. The family says Ndlovu was shot.
Police have not said whether the burglary forms part of the murder investigation, and no evidence has been produced linking the two.
The timing of burglary is now one of the questions investigators will have to solve.
Ndlovu, 54, a former SABC sports presenter, had become one of SAMRO’s most persistent critics through his work with Artists United.
His company, O.N.E Rights Management, provided services to SAMRO until the organisation terminated the agreement in March 2025.
The relationship subsequently collapsed into litigation.
SAMRO CEO Annabell Lebethe obtained a protection order against Ndlovu.
In July, a magistrate dismissed it, finding that the conduct complained of did not amount to harassment and that the interim order had been obtained on half truths and incomplete information.
Ndlovu maintained that he was still being kept out of SAMRO House in Braamfontein.
On 27 August, SAPS Legal Services wrote to the State Attorney asking for assistance so that Ndlovu could work without disturbance from Lebethe.
The letter recorded that there was no court order barring Ndlovu from entering the building. Ndlovu returned to court on 15 September, hours before he was abducted.
Lebethe had been summoned to appear two days later. She did not attend. A SAMRO lawyer appeared instead and asked for a postponement to obtain Ndlovu’s death certificate.
The matter returns to court on 2 October.
That same week, a parliamentary reply showed that none of the 11 stalled police cases raised by MP Eugene Mthethwa had reached prosecution.
Four had been withdrawn, three had been closed because no suspect could be identified.
The ministry said no action was required against any investigating officer.
SAMRO has extended condolences to Ndlovu’s family and said it condemns violence and criminality in all forms.
The organisation said it was confident police would investigate and would not comment on its disputes with Ndlovu out of respect for his family.
SAPS had not responded to the questions at the time of publication.
