By Teboho Moloi
BLOEMFONTEIN — On Thursday, 1 May 2025, the Buang Basadi Women Forum led a solemn mass prayer at Hoffman Square in Bloemfontein to honour three South African Police Service (SAPS) constables whose bodies were discovered earlier this week. The event drew a large crowd, including grieving family members, local residents, fellow officers, and Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae.
By her own admission, Premier Letsoha-Mathae had been trying to stay strong throughout the ordeal. But as she addressed the mourners at Hoffman Square, the weight of the tragedy became too much.
Her voice trembled as she paid tribute to the fallen officers—Constable Cebekhulu Linda (24), Constable Keamogetswe Buys (30), and Constable Boipelo Senoge (20)—who went missing the previous Wednesday and were found dead in the Hennops River near Centurion, Gauteng.
“We were all looking forward to having our officers back safe and sound, but unfortunately that was not to be,” she said. “I am hurt because these were very young people with so much to live for. We will try and give them a befitting farewell.”
Unable to continue, the Premier stepped away from the podium, her emotions evident. While she may not have wept openly, those present could see the raw pain etched across her face.
The three constables were last seen at a gas station while enroute from Bloemfontein to Limpopo. Their remains, along with fragments of their vehicle, were discovered near the river and confirmed by family members. Two additional unidentified bodies were also recovered from the river, further complicating the investigation.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola confirmed the identities of the officers and stressed the importance of a thorough investigation. “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 stated.
Bloemfontein residents remember late cops.
Commissioner Masemola also reaffirmed the SAPS’s ongoing commitment to officer safety and crime prevention. “We are continuously implementing an all hands-on-deck approach. Through community participation and tip-offs, criminals are feeling the heat. There is no longer much space for criminals in all provinces to operate,” he said.
As investigations continue, the SAPS urges anyone with relevant information to come forward. Funeral details for Constables Cebekhulu, Buys, and Senoge will be announced in due course. The nation mourns their untimely passing and salutes their service to the country.
