Emergency services working at the Hennops River in Centurion have confirmed a major development in the investigation into the disappearance of three SAPS officers.
Watch: Rescuers recover VW Polo at Hennops River
A white Volkswagen Polo, believed to be the car the constables were last seen in, was recovered from the river on Thursday.
According to reports from the scene, rescue divers retrieved key items from the vehicle, including a service book and a white handbag. These items are expected to form part of the ongoing investigation into what led to the deaths of the three Free State officers.
Police had earlier located a large metal object in a blocked portion of the river, near the N1 Brakfontein interchange. While officials have not officially confirmed that the metal object is the VW Polo, police sources on the scene said it matched the description of the missing car.
The tragic discovery follows days of intense search efforts. Families of Constables Linda Cebekhulu, Boipelo Senoge (20), and Keamogetswe Buys (24) confirmed they had positively identified their loved ones among five bodies recovered from the Hennops River on Monday and Tuesday.
Cebekhulu’s body was recovered first, followed by those of Buys and Senoge the next day. Two additional bodies were also found – one of a Lyttelton Police Station clerk, and another that is yet to be identified due to advanced decomposition.
At a press briefing near the recovery site on Tuesday evening, SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said:
“We had hoped to find our three police officers safe and unharmed. Unfortunately, this is not the case. It is with deep sorrow that I confirm that our three members have been found, together with two other bodies.”
Police also discovered damage to the guardrail on the N1 bridge above the river, which suggests the vehicle may have veered off the road. However, Masemola cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
“We don’t want to speculate at this stage what led to the discovery of these bodies in this river, whether it was an accident or not. Our investigation will reveal those aspects once we find their vehicle,” he said.
The SAPS continues to investigate the case, focusing on how the vehicle ended up in the river and the exact cause of death of the five individuals. The recovery of the Polo is seen as critical evidence that may help answer those questions.
