KEY POINTS
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Three Free State police officers went missing on April 24 while en route from Bloemfontein to Limpopo; their bodies were later found in the Hennops River.
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SAPS mounted a multi-agency, week-long search operation that led to the recovery of the officers and their vehicle.
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Official funerals will be held on May 8, 9, and 10 in various locations across the Free State, as investigations into the cause of the accident continue.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola addressed a somber memorial service in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, honoring three young constables whose disappearance sparked a nationwide search ending in tragedy.
The bodies of Constables Cebekhulu Linda (24), Boipelo Senoge (24), and Keamogetswe Buys (30) were recovered from the Hennops River in Centurion, Gauteng, after they vanished during a routine journey from the Free State to Limpopo on April 24.
“When we first picked up this case, we never anticipated this tragic end,” Masemola told mourners, his voice heavy with emotion. “We initially treated this as a possible hijacking and kidnapping. But through technology, intelligence, and relentless detective work, we traced their last known movements to the N1 highway near the Hennops River.”
IOL reports that the officers’ white Volkswagen Polo was discovered submerged in the river after a three-day search involving divers, drones, and K9 units. Alongside their bodies, authorities recovered the remains of a groundsman, Jan Zwane, and an unidentified decomposed corpse, deepening the mystery.
Community gathers to honour fallen officers
Hundreds of mourners, including SAPS colleagues, family members, and local leaders, filled Bobbiespark Hall in Bloemfontein to pay tribute to the officers.
The constables had been stationed in Limpopo but were returning from a work-related trip when they stopped at a Grasmere Toll Plaza petrol station—a sighting that became their last confirmed appearance.
Masemola praised the multi-agency effort behind the search, which spanned three provinces. “From cybercrime analysts to volunteer divers, everyone worked tirelessly,” he said. “Even on Workers’ Day, our teams returned to recover the vehicle’s missing parts. We owed the families closure.”
The SAPS Vehicle Accident Unit is now dissecting the wreckage to determine whether mechanical failure, human error, or foul play caused the crash. Preliminary findings suggest the Polo may have veered off the highway, collided with a barrier, and rolled into the river. However, Masemola emphasized that the full report—expected in the coming weeks—will provide definitive answers.
