The heart-wrenching case of three South African Police Service (SAPS) officers who went missing has reached a tragic conclusion. Here’s a summary of the key points from the recent developments surrounding this case.
Missing officers identified
The National Commissioner of SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, confirmed during a media briefing that the three missing officers are amongst five bodies retrieved from the Hennops River, on Tuesday. The families of Constable Keamogetswe Buys, Constable Boipelo Senoge, and Constable Cebekhulu Linda have identified their loved ones at the Tshwane mortuary.
Disappearance timeline
The officers were last seen in the early hours of Thursday at a petrol station near the Grasmere Toll Plaza on the N1 in Gauteng. Their vehicle, a Volkswagen Polo, had its registration plates switched off after departing the station, alongside their cellphones and tracking device.
Exhaustive search efforts
A dedicated team of investigators from SAPS launched a comprehensive search across Gauteng, the Free State, and Limpopo, pursuing every possible lead. This extensive search eventually brought them to an area along the N1 highway.
Investigation breakthrough
The breakthrough in the case came on Monday when investigators discovered vehicle parts thought to belong to the missing VW Polo. This led them to a Renault Kangoo panel van near the Hennops River, where divers began the grim task of searching for bodies.
Recovery of bodies
During the search, two bodies were recovered, one identified as the driver of the panel van—an administrative clerk associated with the Lyttelton Police Station—and Constable Senoge. The next day, the body of Constable Linda was found, and later on, Constable Buys was confirmed deceased as well.
Investigation continues
As the investigation evolves, SAPS has stated that they are still searching for the VW Polo and are hesitant to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the bodies until all evidence is collected. The focus remains on uncovering the truth behind this tragedy.
Community support
General Masemola expressed gratitude towards the families involved and the SAPS task team for their unwavering support. Despite the sorrowful outcome, there is relief in providing closure to the families of the deceased. SAPS has also announced a R350,000 reward for any information regarding the missing officers.
