The search for a missing VW Polo vehicle has resulted in the recovery of the car from the Hennops River, where the bodies of three police officers were discovered earlier this week. Athlenda Mathe, the National Police Spokesperson, confirmed on Thursday that the vehicle had been retrieved from the river, bringing a glimmer of hope amid mourning.
“I can confirm that the search team retrieved a car wreck from the Hennops River this afternoon,” Mathe stated. “Items, including a handbag, were found inside the vehicle.” The grim discovery comes following a rigorous search operation, during which police divers and drone units scoured the river and its surrounding areas for over a week.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola expressed his condolences to the grieving families and emphasized the importance of the retrieval for the ongoing investigation. “The retrieval of the vehicle and bodies will bring some measure of closure to the families of the fallen officers and our colleagues,” he said. “It has been a long and difficult process, but we hope this will help us determine what happened on that tragic day.”
Following the disappearance of the officers—30-year-old Keamogetswe Buys, 20-year-old Boipelo Senoge, and 24-year-old Cebekhulu Linda—on April 24, 2025, extensive search efforts were launched. The officers were last seen at a petrol station near the Grasmere Toll Plaza before their vehicle went missing. After days of searching the N1 highway and surrounding waterways, the bodies were finally recovered from the river, accompanied by parts of the vehicle, on April 30, 2025.
Mathe highlighted the collaborative effort from various specialised units, including SAPS drone teams, cybercrime experts, the Hawks, and the Gauteng Traffic Airwing. Their combined efforts underscore the urgency and determination of law enforcement in uncovering the truth behind this tragedy.
In a show of solidarity and support, a prayer session has been organised in Bloemfontein for the bereaved families and police personnel. Masemola reassured the public that investigations are ongoing, urging patience as they work diligently to uncover the circumstances leading to the officers’ deaths. “We are committed to piecing together the events that led to this tragedy,” he stated.
The police have yet to determine an official cause of death for the officers, further compounding the calls for closure among family members and the public.