logo
SAPS leaders meet investigators on missing officers

SAPS leaders meet investigators on missing officers

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, and Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, are meeting today with the investigation team tasked with finding three missing police officers.
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, SAPS national spokesperson, confirmed the leadership's plans, saying, 'The pair will receive an update on progress made in finding our own from both the Provincial Commissioners of Free State and Gauteng, Lieutenant General Baile Motsweenyane and Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni.'
After the update, General Masemola and his team will meet with the officers' families and address the media.
The missing officers — 30-year-old Constable Keamogetswe Buys, 20-year-old Constable Boipelo Senoge, and 24-year-old Constable Cebekhulu Linda- disappeared while travelling from Bloemfontein to their deployment site in Limpopo. They were last seen at the Engen garage near the Grasmere toll plaza on the N1 on Wednesday, 23 April.
Their white VW Polo, bearing the registration number JCL 401 FS, has not been traced since.
'Their vehicle tracking device and cell phones have been off since their disappearance,' SAPS confirmed.
At the time, the constables were off duty but expected to report for work later that day.
A 24-hour Venue Operational Centre (VOC) has been set up to coordinate the search, with high-level detectives and crime intelligence teams from Gauteng and Free State fully mobilised. SAPS has opened a case of possible hijacking and kidnapping.
'A full-scale search is underway,' SAPS stated, urging members of the public to come forward with any information.
The police have asked anyone with information to contact the investigating officer, Captain Chaacha Manga, at 082 527 6099.
Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Missing Comrades Marathon runner: NEW info comes to light
Missing Comrades Marathon runner: NEW info comes to light

The South African

time2 hours ago

  • The South African

Missing Comrades Marathon runner: NEW info comes to light

The Comrades Marathon runner who went missing after completing Sunday's 'down run' was found by construction workers in a hypothermic state on Monday around 07:30 – some 15 hours after she crossed the finish line. Moira Harding, 54, who was competing in the colours of Fish Hoek Athletic Club in the Western Cape, was found near the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) base in The Point, Durban. The base is situated roughly 7km from the new Comrades Marathon finish on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue at People's Park. The workers initially thought she was out training, but soon realised she was in fact in distress. Harding, who lives in Kommetjie, took a respectable 10:52:03 to complete the 89.98km run, well inside the 12-hour cut-off. At the time of publishing it remains unclear how Harding ended up near the NSRI base, although reports indicate that she is a good friend of one of the station commanders at the base and that it was possible that she could have been walking there to find a safe space. She was found lying on her back in a semi-conscious state and hypothermic having been out in the cold the whole night. Garrith Jamieson, spokesperson for ALS Paramedics, provided a key update. Jamieson said a few 'leads' were followed. In providing an update on her condition, he said: 'It had a lot to do with temperature, she had just finished a marathon, a very long run, and your body is already tired. Then with the weather and being outside all night, anyone would be cold, especially with the rain. 'She was extremely cold, hypothermic, which leads to a further state of confusion.' He added that Harding would have been sent to St Augustine's Hospital, but due to the seriousness of her condition, a helicopter was called in and she was taken to Umhlanga Netcare Hospital. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

Three killed in light aircraft crash in KZN
Three killed in light aircraft crash in KZN

The South African

time2 hours ago

  • The South African

Three killed in light aircraft crash in KZN

On Sunday it came to light that authorities were searching for a 'missing' light aircraft that had departed from Durban's Virginia Airport on Sunday. Rescuers have now found the wreckage, and all three occupants deceased – including a student pilot – with the plane appearing to have crashed into sugar cane fields. The aircraft was last tracked flying over Ladysmith, heading south towards either Pietermaritzburg or Greytown. The provincial Transport and Human Settlements MEC, Siboniso Duma, confirmed the department is working with the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre on the matter 'ARCC informed us that they will be handing over the matter to the South African Police Service's (SAPS) Accident and Incident Investigation Division and the South African Civil Aviation Authority for the official investigation. 'We express our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased passengers,' Duma said. Authorities are currently continuing to investigate the cause of the crash. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

Dirty cops dismissed after kidnapping and extortion arrests
Dirty cops dismissed after kidnapping and extortion arrests

The Citizen

time3 hours ago

  • The Citizen

Dirty cops dismissed after kidnapping and extortion arrests

Two SAPS members have been dismissed following their arrest for kidnapping and extortion in a case that has sent shockwaves through Gauteng. Constables Thabiso Pule Paul Molefe (32) and Paseka Matena (33), both members of the SAPS Highway Patrol Unit, were arrested by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) earlier this year in connection with a case opened in Springs. The two officers were found guilty following internal disciplinary hearings conducted under the SAPS Discipline Regulations of 2016. Both have been sanctioned with dismissal, pending final confirmation by the Provincial Commissioner. Public reaction to the arrests and dismissals has been swift. Ian Cameron, DA Member of Parliament and well-known policing accountability advocate, took to social media to praise the outcome. 'SOME GOOD NEWS: DIRTY COPS OUT,' he wrote, highlighting this as a meaningful example of consequence management in the SAPS. 'The public demands accountability, and this is a step in the right direction. We need a police service that earns the trust of law-abiding South Africans.' Molefe, who is reportedly the son of a former high-ranking police official, and his co-accused Matena, were allegedly involved in a scheme where they kidnapped victims and extorted money from them under the guise of official police operations. Their arrest and dismissal are being hailed as a success for IPID and an important signal that misconduct within SAPS will not be tolerated. The case also underscores growing calls for transparency and reform in the police service. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store