Centurion, South Africa – After six days of intense searching, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has confirmed the deaths of three missing police officers and two others in a tragic turn of events near the Hennops River in Centurion.
In a media statement on Tuesday, SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola announced that Constables Keamogetswe Buys, Boipelo Senoge, and Cebekhulu Linda, along with an administrative clerk from Lyttleton Police Station and an unidentified individual, were found dead following an extensive investigation.
“It is with deep sorrow that I confirm that our three members have been found,” said General Masemola. “This is not how we expected this case to unfold. We were hoping for a positive outcome.”
The search, which covered areas across Gauteng, the Free State, and Limpopo, involved multiple police units including the Hawks, Cybercrime Unit, Crime Intelligence, and drone teams. The investigation led authorities from the Grasmere Toll Plaza along the N1, eventually to John Vorster Drive near the Hennops River.
The breakthrough came on Monday when parts of a vehicle, believed to belong to a VW Polo, were found along the highway. This discovery led to a more detailed search of the riverbanks, where a Renault Kangoo panel van was located.
Divers from SAPS and the Tshwane Metro Police recovered two bodies on Monday evening — one was Constable Senoge, and the other, the driver of the panel van, later identified as a SAPS admin clerk. Due to poor light, the search had to be paused.
The operation resumed Tuesday morning, resulting in the recovery of the remaining three bodies. “The third body, believed to be that of Constable Linda, was found this morning. We later discovered a fourth decomposed body, identity unknown at this stage, and by the afternoon, the fifth body, identified as Constable Buys, was recovered,” said Masemola.
Family members have since been taken to the mortuary where they formally identified their loved ones.
SAPS is continuing its investigation to determine the cause of the incident and the whereabouts of the VW Polo still missing from the scene. “We don’t want to speculate at this stage whether it was an accident or not. Our investigation will reveal those aspects,” the Commissioner added.
He thanked the families and the task team for their tireless efforts. “We are relieved that we could provide painful closure to the families and the broader SAPS family,” he concluded.
Authorities have assured the public that they are committed to uncovering the full truth behind the tragedy.
