JOHANNESBURG – SAMRO CEO Annabell Lebethe did not appear in court on Thursday in her protection order matter against Owen Ndlovu.
A lawyer from SAMRO appeared on her behalf.
The lawyer told the court they had learned from media reports that Ndlovu had died.
The lawyer asked for the matter to be postponed so that his death certificate could be obtained.
The matter was postponed to 2 October at the Booysens Magistrate’s Court.
Lebethe had been summoned to appear in person.
The court issued the notice on Tuesday, 15 September, after Ndlovu asked for the matter to be heard earlier.
That evening, he was kidnapped.
He did not live to see the hearing.
The case, PHA 1628/2026, falls under the Protection from Harassment Act.
Court papers show Ndlovu filed an application for anticipation.
This allows a respondent to ask for a protection order matter to be heard sooner than scheduled.
In a handwritten statement to the court, Ndlovu said the interim order had been granted “erroneously”. He said vital information had been left out when it was obtained, and described the matter as extremely urgent.
His statement also set out the history of the dispute.
Lebethe first opened a harassment case against him on 7 March 2025. He anticipated that case, and it was heard on 10 April 2025 under case number PHA 315/2025.
He said the court relaxed the order’s conditions, allowing him back into SAMRO House in Braamfontein. Only the third floor, where Lebethe’s office is, remained off-limits.
The fight over that floor lasted more than a year.
On 17 July 2026, the magistrate dismissed Lebethe’s application and set aside the interim order. The court found that the conduct complained of did not amount to harassment. It also found that the order had been obtained on “half truths and incomplete information”.
Ndlovu said he was still kept out of the building.
He took the judgment to the police. On 27 August, SAPS Legal Services wrote to the State Attorney asking for help so that he could work without disturbance from Lebethe. The letter recorded that no court order barred him from the premises, including the third floor.
Ndlovu said he approached Hillbrow police more than twice, without success. In August, he turned to the union LACO, which took up his case with SAMRO management.
Then he went back to court.
On Tuesday evening, hours after the court issued its notice, Ndlovu went to Katlehong to fetch his wife, Portia, from church.
Police said three men pushed her aside at about 8pm. One was reportedly armed. They forced Ndlovu into the back of his Ford Raptor and drove off.
The bakkie was later found in Walkerville. On Wednesday morning, his body was found dumped next to a road in Thokoza.
The Germiston Trio Crimes unit is investigating a case of murder.
A post-mortem will establish the cause of death. No arrests have been announced.
On the same day, EFF MP E Mthethwa received the Acting Minister of Police’s reply on 11 stalled police cases. The reply is dated 15 September.
None of the cases has reached prosecution. Prosecutors withdrew four, and police closed three as undetected.
The oldest Hillbrow case, opened in June 2023, is still under investigation, with SAMRO’s legal department assisting.
Ndlovu had been at the forefront of complaints against SAMRO, including those arising from the Fundudzi report.
Police have not named a motive.
There is no evidence linking his killing to his dispute with SAMRO or Lebethe.
Africa Daily has asked SAMRO and Lebethe for comment, including why she did not attend court. This story will be updated once they respond.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Crime Stop line on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPSApp.
