General Fannie Masemola meets investigating team and families of three missing constables

Ladies and gentlemen,

I often say good afternoon, but in reality it is not a good afternoon for all the men and women in blue and the families of our missing police officers.

We are deeply disturbed by the disappearance of our own. It is indeed business unusual for us and we will not rest up until we register a breakthrough in this case.

We are now on day four of our investigation into the disappearance of our three police officers.

I have together with the leadership of the SAPS which include the Deputy National Commissioner of Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya and the Provincial Commissioner of Free State, Lieutenant General Baile Motsweenyane just met and concluded a meeting with the families of 20-year-old Constable Boipelo Senoge, 24-year-old Cebekhulu Linda and 30-year-old Keamogetswe Buys.

We have briefed the family on the high -level investigation that is underway.

The multi-disciplinary team that we have put together consists of the heads of intelligence and detectives from Limpopo, Free State and Gauteng.

The broader team consists of highly skilled and experienced police officers from various disciplines within the SAPS, these include seasoned expert detectives, crime and counter intelligence operatives, as well as members from the  Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI) Tactical Operations and Management Section (TOMS) and other key specialised units including our cyber crime unit.

We have pulled maximum resources together to find our young police officers safe, unharmed and alive, and this remains our key focus. The second focus of our investigation is to find those who are behind the disappearance of these members.

We are so far, quite confident that we have deployed the necessary resources and expertise to ensure that we find our members.

Our investigation is at a very sensitive and critical stage and at this stage, all information at our disposal is being followed up on and as I address you, I have left this high-level team in Gauteng where they are continuing with the work.

We will not allow a situation where criminals have the upper hand. We cannot have criminals undermine the authority of the state by kidnapping three police officers. This is just a stern warning to those behind this incident, either you hand yourselves over, or we will fetch you ourselves.

I often don’t address criminals / but it is important that I issue a stern warning to those criminals to surrender before we FIND YOU.

Ladies and gentlemen, together as the management of the SAPS, we are confident that the team that is working around the clock in this case will find whoever it is, that is behind the disappearance of our own.

Police officers do not negotiate with criminals and we are not going to start now…

Two of the three members are attached to our crime intelligence unit in the Free State and are on detachment duties in Limpopo. The youngest Constable, is attached to the Park Road police station and is currently serving in the Community Service Centre (CSC) previously known as the charge office.

We are still looking forward to their contribution in crime fighting initiatives and we also looking forward to seeing them grow within our ranks. It is on this note that I announce the following:

A R350 000 reward for any information on the whereabouts of our members and the whereabouts of those criminals that are behind the disappearance of our own.

Anyone who has solid and concrete information is advised to contact the investigating officer Captain Chaacha Manga on 082 527 6099. You are reminded that anyone who shares information will remain anonymous and all information will be treated with confidentiality.

Ladies and gentlemen, someone somewhere saw something especially from the time they left the Engen garage near the Grasmere Toll Plaza towards Johannesburg four days ago.

With the assistance from our communities, we have solved numerous cases, and put many criminals which include kidnappers, murderers and rapists behind bars to serve lengthy jail terms.

The people of South Africa, ours is a thankless job, it is about passion and dedication to serving and protecting the vulnerable - our officers face dangerous and ruthless criminals on a daily basis to keep the citizens of this country safe/ it is now your turn to assist us to find our own. Let’s work together to find our three young Constable’s.

To the families, I once again pledge the organisations full support and commitment to finding your children, I assure you, we will not rest until they are found and those criminals who are behind this are brought to book.

Our Employee Health and Wellness experts including our psychologists and chaplains will under the guidance of the Provincial Commissioner of Free State will continue to provide you the necessary support.

We don’t want to speculate on the motive as yet, we will when the time is right, update the nation on progress made. It is a matter of time before we register a breakthrough.

We are doing everything in our power to find our own.

Thank you

#GovZAUpdates