Tragic End to Search for Missing Police Officers

A dark atmosphere covered the South African Police Service (SAPS) as they confirmed the heartbreaking discovery of three missing police officers. Constable Keamogetswe Buys, Constable Boipelo Senoge, and Constable Cebekhulu Linda were reported missing after they were last seen on Wednesday 23 April 2025 while they were travelling from Bloemfontein to Limpopo where they had been deployed. During search and rescue operations, SAPS divers made a shocking discovery when they retrieved two more bodies from the river. This announcement comes after an exhausting six-day search that extended across Gauteng, Free State, and Limpopo.

A high-level investigation team, composed of dedicated officers and support units, worked tirelessly, searching various regions and pursuing every possible lead. The search led them to the Hennops river, after a passerby raised an alarm, where significant evidence was uncovered. “We initially found vehicle parts believed to belong to a VW Polo, which eventually guided us to a Renault Kangoo panel van at the river’s banks,” explained police national commissioner General Fannie Masemola.

The discovery began early Monday when SAPS divers found the bodies of Constable Senoge and the driver of the Renault panel van, later identified as an admin clerk from the Lyttleton police station. During the search, the body of Constable Linda was located later that day, followed by Constable Buys’s body discovered in the afternoon. Families of the deceased were taken to the mortuary to identify their loved ones, marking a painful but necessary closure.

The SAPS expressed deep sorrow over the loss, admitting this was not the outcome they had hoped for. “We were hoping for a positive resolution,” General Masemola added, acknowledging the emotional toll on both families and the wider SAPS community. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the disappearances and the search for the missing VW Polo continue, as authorities seek answers during this tragic time.

The SAPS top management extended gratitude to the families and the exhaustive task team whose efforts, despite the tragic outcome, brought an important clarity to a case that has shaken the foundation of the SAPS family.