Steven Gruzd, who worked at the South African Institute of International Affairs, was kidnapped on Friday after attending a meeting in Johannesburg, police have said

South African scholar and Russia-Africa relations analyst Steven Gruzd has been found dead hours after he was declared missing, the country's authorities have reported.

Gruzd, head of the African Governance and Diplomacy Programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), was reported missing on Friday, prompting police and community security groups to search for him.

Gauteng police spokesperson Tintswalo Sibeko said on Saturday that Gruzd had allegedly been abducted after a meeting in Corlett Gardens before being taken to George Goch Hostel, both in Johannesburg, according to News24.

Five suspects were reportedly arrested after a joint operation involving the Johannesburg Metro Police Department and private security. One of the detainees led the investigators to Gruzd's body.

SAIIA confirmed Gruzd's "untimely passing" with "great sorrow," saying his "absence leaves a significant void at SAIIA and across the continent he served so passionately."

"Steve was known for his unwavering dedication to his work and his commitment to the policy community in Africa. We will miss his brilliant mind, his deep camaraderie and his gentle spirit," the non-profit group said ina statement.

The motive for Gruzd's murder has not been determined.

SAIIA's website says Gruzd also led the project dedicated to Russia's Strategic Engagement in Africa at the organization and regularly commented on Moscow's role in the continent. Last July, heappearedalongside Russian Ambassador Roman Ambarov at the third Russia-Africa Conference, co-hosted by SAIIA and the Valdai Discussion Club in Pretoria.

On Sunday, Ambarov called Gruzd's death "tragic" and described him as a "respected expert who contributed greatly" to Russia-South Africa relations. "The ambassador noted that the life of Steven Gruzd was cut short by a brutal crime," the Russian Embassy in Pretoria wrote on X.

South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation described Gruzd's killing as "tragic news," with spokesperson Chrispin Phiri extending condolences to his family, his colleagues at SAIIA, and the South African Jewish Report, for which he wrote regularly.

(RT.com)