Central SA
Free State constables: Investigations into VW Polo start─── ZENANDE MPAME 09:30 Fri, 02 May 2025
Forensic investigators will start examining the white VW Polo on Friday (2/5) to determine how the three Free State police officers died en route from Bloemfontein to Limpopo.
The vehicle was retrieved from the Hennops River in Centurion on Thursday (1/5), the same river where the officers’ bodies were recovered.
The national police commissioner confirmed the vehicle’s chassis number as the vehicle they had been searching for. Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha Mathae and the provincial police commissioner will be visiting the families on Friday to offer support and to determine what assistance they need to bury their loved ones.
“The retrieval of the VW Polo has brought some relief and a sense of closure,” said National Police Commissioner Gen. Fannie Masemola. “A forensic investigation of the vehicle will commence to determine how the three police officers died.
“The vehicle was recovered not far from where it was initially suspected to have submerged. The forensic investigators are going to thoroughly look at the vehicle and the fact that I’m saying it looks like it overturned first.”
A prayer service was held at Hoffman Square in Bloemfontein on Thursday for Consts. Linda Cebekhulu (24), Keamogetswe Buys (30), and Boipelo Senoge (20), where various congregations, organisations, and people gathered to pray for the families of the three deceased.
Various congregations, organisations, and people gathered to pray for the families of the three deceased. Photo: Facebook/Free State Provincial Government
Families of all three of the constables were also in attendance.
“We were all looking forward to having our officers back safe and sound, but unfortunately, that was not the case,” said Mathae.
“I am hurt because these were very young people with so much to live for. We will try and give them a befitting farewell.
‘Young, intelligent people with a bright future’
“This is sad for the province and the Free State provincial government. These constables were young, intelligent people with a bright future.”
The bodies of the constables were identified by their families at the Tshwane mortuary on Tuesday (29/4).
The dates of the funeral services for the constables haven’t been determined yet.
