FS Premier laments discovery of bodies of three missing SAPS officers

Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae says it’s a sad day for the province following confirmation that three of the five bodies found at the Hennops River in Centurion are those of the missing police officers.

The officers who are originally from the Free State went missing last week while travelling from Bloemfontein to Limpopo for their deployment.

The vehicle they were travelling in was last spotted on camera at the Brakfontein interchange on the N1 driving north, which led the police to search the Hennops River.

Letsoha-Mathae says they are hopeful that the police will find the cause of their deaths.

“But what we just heard really it is sad. It is sad for the province; it is sad for the Free State government. These were young people. Their future was bright, because their deployment, if you track their ranks, their portfolios … those are portfolios of bright people,” says Letsoha-Mathae.

“As Free State [government], we have really lost these young people with a brighter future, because they chose this profession knowing quite well it is risky. But they were committed and said we are going to serve the people of Free State,” she adds.

Bodies identified

Earlier, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has confirmed that three of the five bodies found at the Hennops River in Centurion are those of the missing police officers.

Briefing the media at the scene, Masemola says the search for the vehicle the officers were travelling in is still ongoing.

“As you are aware, we searched everywhere for our three missing police officers, Constable Keamogetswe Buys, Constable Boipelo Senoge and Constable Cebekhulu Linda. We had hoped to find our three police officers safe and unharmed. Unfortunately, this is not the case. It is with the deep sorrow that I confirm that our three members have been found together with two other bodies – one being of an administration clerk or a gardener from Littleton Police Station,” adds Masemola.