By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SA Police Service (SAPS) have confirmed that five bodies have now been recovered from the Hennops River in Centurion, Tshwane.
Last week, three Constables Cebekhulu Linda, Keamogetswe Buys and Boipelo Senoge from Bloemfotein went missing while en-route to their area of deployment in Limpopo. Their vehicle tracking system and cellphones have been unreachable since their last known location.
They were last seen at a petrol station in Grasmere, outside Johannesburg.
Evidence led police to the N1 highway near a bridge that crosses the Hennops river on Tuesday morning.
This is where search operations have been active, throughout the day, with two more bodies now recovered.
The first two bodies were discovered on Monday, another one on Tuesday.
SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said, “they started combing yesterday and they found two bodies. The search continued this morning. We are still searching for the vehicle, that VW Polo vehicle that we have been circulating but that has still not been found.”
Mathe said the family members of the officers had arrived in Pretoria and were being briefed by investigators.
She emphasised that the identities of the bodies found had not been confirmed by midday on Tuesday.
Deputy police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya said, once the families of the missing officers have met with the National Commissioner, they will be taken to the mortuary where the bodies are being kept.
Sibiya has confirmed that five bodies have now been recovered.
Meanwhile police have offered a reward of R350.000 for any leads that may result in locating the missing officers. Members of the public are urged to come forward if they have any concrete information by contacting the investigating officer, Captain Chaacha Manga, at 082 527 6099.
Families of the missing police constable have also urged public to assit in reuniting them with their loved ones and expressed appreciation to police for their intensified efforts.