Missing officers found dead in Gauteng river
Missing officers found dead in Gauteng river
A cloud of grief hangs over South Africa following the grim discovery of five bodies in the Hennops River in Centurion.
Among them, three have been confirmed as the missing young South African Police Service (SAPS) Constables Cebekhulu Linda (24), Keamogetswe Buys (30), and Boipelo Senoge (20), who disappeared on April 23 while en route to their deployment in Limpopo.
The constables were last seen refueling at an Engen garage near the Grasmere toll plaza. Traveling in a Volkswagen Polo hatchback from Bloemfontein, they failed to reach their destination, sparking a widespread search and a R350,000 reward offer from SAPS for any information.
After days of intensive operations, SAPS’s search and rescue team recovered five bodies from the Hennops River, near the N1 highway. Three were identified by their families as the missing officers. The remaining two bodies, including a female, remain unidentified pending forensic confirmation.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola addressed the nation with the somber news, vowing to uncover the truth. “We are heartbroken to confirm that three of the bodies are those of our missing officers. We will not rest until justice is served,” he stated.
The investigation, still ongoing, is exploring potential links to hijacking and kidnapping. Security experts have warned against speculation, while SAPS continues to gather evidence, including the whereabouts of the missing vehicle.
The tragedy has stirred national mourning, with an outpouring of grief and tributes on social media.
As forensic teams work to determine the cause of death and identify the other two bodies, SAPS urges anyone with information to come forward. The nation remains united in mourning and in its call for answers.
