Key Points
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Three SAPS constables have mysteriously gone missing.
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Missing journalist adds to the growing suspicions of a third force.
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SAPS urges the public to assist with the search for missing officers.
A sense of alarm has spread across South Africa after three police officers mysteriously disappeared while traveling from Bloemfontein to Limpopo.
Their disappearance has raised concerns about a covert “third force” targeting security personnel, journalists, and activists.
The constables—Cebekhulu Linda, Keamogetswe Buys, and Boipelo Senoge—vanished near the Grasmere toll plaza on the N1 highway.
Authorities tracked their vehicle, a white Volkswagen Polo, to an Engen fuel station. Afterward, the vehicle’s tracking device and their phones were turned off.
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, SAPS national spokesperson, confirmed the case.
“The trio was off-duty but expected to report to Limpopo. We have set up a 24-hour operational center to lead the search, with detectives and crime intelligence units from Gauteng and the Free State actively involved,” Mathe said.
Unanswered questions point to a bigger issue
The missing officers’ case has become a growing concern, especially with the recent disappearance of journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli.
Ndlovu, known for his investigative reports on corruption in local government, has been missing since February.
His case has further fueled suspicions of a coordinated effort to silence outspoken individuals.
Lerato Mokoena, spokesperson for the African Media and Communicators Forum, voiced these concerns.
“We can no longer ignore the possibility of a targeted campaign to silence voices and create fear,” she said.
SAPS urges the public to help locate the missing officers
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has appealed to the public for information.
He urged anyone with knowledge of the missing officers’ whereabouts to contact Captain Chaacha Manga at 082 527 6099.
As the search intensifies, South Africans remain anxious, questioning whether these disappearances are isolated incidents or part of a broader, more sinister agenda.
