WeeklySA_AdminLoss: Their loss is not only a devastating blow to the sa police but a significant loss to the whole country
By Monk Nkomo
The three young police constables whose lives perished in the Hennops River in Centurion after they went missing for almost a week, wore the badge with pride and served with courage and commitment and their passing has left a void that would be deeply felt.
This is how Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, described the tragic deaths of three constables whose disappearance touched the hearts of thousands of South Africans who were glued to the television sets from the day of their mysterious disappearance to the day when it was reported that they were no longer of this world.
Constables Keamogetswe Buys (30), Cebekhulu Linda (24) and Boipelo Senoge will be honoured in separate police official funerals at their hometowns next week. Senoge and Cebekhulu will be laid to rest in Bloemfontein on Thursday and Friday respectively while Buys will be buried in Thaba Nchu on Saturday.
Their joint memorial service will be held on Thursday. According to Free State provincial police spokesperson, the funeral arrangements followed a meeting between the deceased’s families, the provincial commissioner and the Free State Premier, Maqueen Letsoha – Mathae.
The hope carried by their families and thousands of South Africans of finding the three constables alive, was dashed after police divers retrieved their bodies in the Hennops River – six days after their disappearance. This was also a day after the police offered a reward of R350 000 for any information that could lead to their safe return.
News of the discovery of the bodies shattered the hearts of their families and scores of community members throughout the country. Afterall, these were young police constables – with a bright future – travelling from Bloemfontein to Limpopo on an assignment to crack down on illegal mining . The vehicle they were travelling in was last spotted on camera at the Brakfontein interchange on the N1 on April 23. This led the police investigators to search the Hennops River. ‘’ The loss of these constables is not only a devastating blow to the South African Police Services but also a significant loss to South Africa’’, Mchunu lamented. Although the bodies and the car they were travelling in had been found, police said they were still investigating the cause of their deaths. They appealed to the media and members of the public to refrain from speculating about the cause of the tragedy.
Free State Premier Letsoha-Mathae lamented that this was a sad day for the province. She was hopeful that the police would find the cause of their deaths. “ What has happened is 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 and portfolios … those are portfolios of bright people. As the Free State government, we have really lost young people with a bright future.’’
National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, lauded all the units and private security companies that were involved in the intensive search for the three constables and said it was with deep sorrow that these young police officers had passed on. The investigation into their deaths would continues. The discovery of the car they were travelling in is expected to shed some light about what could have happened. A few personal items including a handbag and cellphone were also retrieved from the wreckage.
Shortly after news of the discovery of the bodies and the car, communities throughout the country held prayer services led by church ministers in memory of these young police constables.
Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi commended Masemola for swiftly assembling a team of skilled personnel which spent sleepless nights searching and eventually finding the young constables.
