The South African Police Service (SAPS), family members and the community gathered in Bobbiespark in Bloemfontein, Free State on Tuesday, 6 May to honour the three constables whose bodies were recovered in the Hennops River in Centurion.
The three officers, Constable Cebekhulu Linda (24), Constable Keamogetswe Buys (30) and Constable Boipelo Senoge (20) went missing on 23 April.
The Bobbiespark Hall was filled to capacity by police officers, Correctional Services officers and officials from various government departments including Free State Premier, Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae.
The constables were described as young dedicated SAPS members who played a significant role to fight overwhelming crime in the country.
Brigadier SP Kubheka, Buys and Linda’s commander from the intelligence department, said the officers’ work won’t be forgotten.
“Many people questioned why Buys joined SAPS whereas she’s a qualified Information Technology professional. She specialised in cyber crime in the SAPS.”
“Linda was the son a former police man. We commended him for joining SAPS. He was known for having too much love for cars,” he said.
Letsoha-Mathae said: “We’re still grieving the loss of our soldiers in the DRC. Today, we gather to mourn three more fallen heroes. My condolences go to the families.
“I urge the social media users to respect the grieving families and refrain from spreading misinformation about the incident.”
“We’ve seen false reports from a missing car in Cape Town to unsubstantiated expert claims. This irresponsible reporting hurts the families and ends trust in the investigations.”
National Police Commissioner, General Fanie Masemola applauded the investigators who worked around the clock to find the officers’ bodies.
“When I met with family members for the first time, we didn’t know what happened to the missing officers. However, investigations led us to Centurion along the N1.”
“The high-level team spent nights searching for the missing constables. After seven days of investigations, we found Linda’s vehicle.
“The bodies of the three constables were retrieved alongside two other known bodies including a decomposed one. We were expecting a lot from these young members. Their lives were cut short.
“The families must not hesitate to consult Free State Police Commissioner, General Baile Motswenyane wherever they encounter problems.”
“We have welcomed messages of support from the public as well as criticism,” he said.
The officers will be laid to rest between Thursday, 8 May and Saturday, 10 May in Bloemfontein and Thaba Nchu.
0 Comments