Minister Senzo Mchunu: Loss of three constables

Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale, Deputy Minister Dr Polly Boshielo,
MECs present this morning,
National Commissioner, General Masemola,
Heads of the entities,
Deputy National Commissioners present,
Divisional Commissioners and Provincial Commissioners present,
DG: Civilian Secretariat for the Police Service, Mr Sibuyi,
SALGA Representatives,
Senior officials,
Members of the media,

We are in Bela-Bela Limpopo today, for a MinMec meeting; in attendance are the Premiers of Gauteng and KZN in their capacities as the MECs for Community Safety, as well as other MECs.

The MinMec (Ministerial and Provincial Executive Council Forum) is a national intergovernmental forum established to facilitate collaboration and consultation between the Minister responsible for a functional area and provincial MECs (Members of the Executive Council) - in our instance, the SAPS and MECs responsible for community safety. The Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act establishes the legal framework for MinMec. The MinMec is facilitated by the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service on behalf of the Ministry. In attendance, we also have the Heads of entities (PSiRA, IPID, DPCI). We are here today to take stock of the measures underway in the country to address crime, and to also track the progress made in as far as implementation of those measures is concerned.

The crime situation in the country causes concern, and we have a duty to protect the citizens. So this MinMec is not just another date on the calendar.  It is an urgent call to coordinate, to act decisively, and to demonstrate that we are not only listening but responding to the pain and fear our people endure. We cannot afford to be seen as leaders who meet to present slides and share statistics, while criminals continue to terrorise our communities.

We started this morning, by reflecting on the crime statistics of the third quarter, which indicate a significant decline in most of the crimes – although still not ideal. We further received an update on the progress of the National Policing Policy, which is ready for presentation to Cabinet and approval.

Just before our break, we also received a presentation on the outcomes of the three-day National Policing Summit we held earlier this month. We still reiterate our commitment to an efficient, effective, responsive and professional police service. We also received a presentation on government’s response to GBVF; we have been meeting as the Ministers in the JCPS Cluster on how to reinforce government’s commitment and actions in as far as GBVF is concerned – that is, the entire value chain – and we have tasked the NatJoints to lead on this. We will provide a detailed update on what will be rolled out. We will still be here for the remainder of the day as we have a number of items to discuss, inclusive of infrastructure – police stations.

Yesterday, we were informed that our search for the three Constables had come to a tragic end, following the discovery of multiple bodies in the Hennops River in Centurion. These are the police officers were reported missing on the 23rd  of April 2025: Constable Keamogetswe Buys, Constable Boipelo Senoge, and Constable Cebekhulu Linda. We have also been informed by the National Commissioner that of the additional bodies found in the river, one was that of an SAPS groundsman stationed at the Lyttelton police station.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased officers, and to all those who have been affected by this tragic development. Our thoughts and prayers are also with their colleagues and the broader SAPS family, who have lost not only dedicated teammates, but promising young officers who still had so much more to contribute to the service and the nation.

The loss of Constables Buys, Senoge, and Linda is not only a devastating blow to the SAPS, but also a significant loss to South Africa. These were young officers who wore the badge with pride and served with courage and commitment. Their passing leaves a void that will be deeply felt.

The nation has been invested in this case, hoping for the safe return of the officers; there are a number of opinions which have been sponsored by individuals and media houses on what could have happened, what the SAPS could have done differently and also on the deployment of resources. We are confident that the team deployed by the National Commissioner worked as efficiently as they could, hence the manner in which the investigation went. We wish to thank every individual and team who took part in the search and recovery efforts. Your tireless work is a testament to the unity and dedication that define our police service and emergency teams.

This is still a developing situation and a matter of ongoing investigation. We urge members of the public and the media to respect the process and allow the SAPS and relevant authorities the space and time they need to conduct their work thoroughly and with the dignity this situation demands.

Thank you.

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