Questions surround murder of music-rights activist Owen Ndlovu - TimesLIVE

The violent killing of broadcaster and music-rights activist Owen Ndlovu has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s music fraternity, with colleagues expressing disbelief over the death of a man known for his dedication to the arts.

According to police, Ndlovu was abducted on Tuesday evening outside a church in Katlehong while waiting to pick up his wife. As he waited in his Ford Raptor bakkie, three unknown men — one reportedly armed — allegedly pushed his wife aside and forced him into the vehicle. The car was later found abandoned in Walkerville and his body was found next to the road.

A postmortem is being conducted to establish the cause of death.

A family statement said he had been shot. “His bag was also found a few metres away from where his body was discovered,” it said.

Eugene Mthethwa — chair of the advocacy group Artists United, an EFF MP and a member of the local music group Trompies — was a close friend of Ndlovu. He claims that residents who discovered Ndlovu’s body found a sealed bag behind an electricity box a few metres from where he lay.

“When we went to the crime scene, we were shown where he died and where they picked up a bag. What is questionable, logically, is if people are hijacking you and are able to get out of the car and run, they wouldn’t follow you,” Mthethwa told the Sunday Times.

“And why would you put your life at risk to get out with the bag? What is it that they were asking him to do that he became aware that he needed to jump out with the bag? There were documents about Samro [South African Music Rights Organisation] in that bag.”

For now, until the police do their job, we can’t just assume who is behind this. We want the police to look at this thing from a wide perspective. Nobody knows who’s behind it

Ndlovu’s company, ORM, was a service provider to Samro until the organisation terminated its contract in March last year. This was followed by legal proceedings, with CEO Annabell Lebethe obtaining an interim protection order against Ndlovu, alleging harassment, an incident involving a firearm and an interview on a podcast. The Johannesburg magistrate’s court dismissed the protection order on July 17 this year.

Recently, Ndlovu had launched harassment charges against Lebethe. Urgent court documents seen by the Sunday Times — filed under the Harassment Act and Domestic Violence Act — reveal that Lebethe had been summoned to appear at the Booysens Magistrate’s Court this past Thursday.

Last September Ndlovu was among the Samro members who disrupted a press briefing at the Garden Court Hotel in Milpark that was intended to set the record straight on a 2023 investigation commissioned by Samro and conducted by Fundudzi Forensic Services into the financial years 2020 to 2022. The probe uncovered alleged fraudulent claims relating to undocumented works worth R62m, made by prominent members.

Mthethwa chained himself to a pole inside Samro offices in Braamfontein, demanding his royalties, and he has since worked alongside Ndlovu to assist artists in obtaining theirs.

Musician Nomsa Mazwai said she also had questions about Ndlovu’s death. In a WhatsApp message — shared among a group with 335 music industry members — she called for an urgent Samro special general meeting, speaking of the fear gripping members.

She told the Sunday Times: “I know Owen had a lot of enemies, but I don’t know why they were his enemies. I’m not saying he was perfect. All I’m saying is that in every engagement I had with Owen, he was not telling me about how we must steal money. He was saying I’ve got an idea to make sure that undocumented works get matched [with their creators].”

Music and talent consultant Vusi Leeuw, who was a long-time friend of Ndlovu, said he did not want to be drawn into speculation.

“For now, until the police do their job, we can’t just assume who is behind this. We want the police to look at this thing from a wide perspective. Nobody knows who’s behind it.”​

This to me is very close to home. Owen would have wanted us to trust the justice system on this one

Approached by Sunday Times to respond to the speculation, Samro released a statement acknowledging its disputes with Ndlovu.

“Samro condemns violence and criminality in all its forms. We trust that the South African Police Service and the relevant authorities will fully investigate the circumstances of Mr Ndlovu’s death and that those responsible will be brought to justice.

“It is a matter of public record that Samro and Mr Ndlovu were involved in disputes and legal proceedings. Out of respect for Mr Ndlovu’s family, Samro will not comment on those matters at this time.”

Lebethe did not respond to emails sent directly to her, although the company confirmed that they had been received.

Police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the case was being investigated by the Germiston Trio unit. “Investigations are under way and I am not at liberty to divulge details thereof.”

Tebogo Sithathu, a former member of the R’nB group Twins and the president of Intellectual Property Justice, said that as a Samro member, he too had been involved in many fights with the organisation over the years, but despite that, he would not point fingers at it for such a crime.

“I believe that he might have been involved with other evil people out there. This has all the hallmarks of a hit but I might be wrong. I don’t think there’s anyone that brutal in our industry who could do such a thing.

“I was very much involved in fighting against Samro’s previous boards. I had been very vocal about Samro but nobody died. That’s why I believe it’s not a hit coming from the industry.”

Actress and arts activist Joy Mbewana, a close friend of Ndlovu who worked with him at Artists United, said Ndlovu had believed in the law.

“This to me is very close to home. Owen would have wanted us to trust the justice system on this one.”