‘Bring back my wife alive’: Emotional plea from husband of missing police officer Keamogetswe Buys

Lwazi Thepa, the husband of missing police constable, 30-year-old Keamogetswe Buys, has joined families of the other missing police officers and the SA Police Service (SAPS) in appealing for their safe return.

The three police constables, Buys, 20-year-old Constable Boipelo Senoge, and 24-year-old Cebekhulu Linda were last seen in Gauteng in the early hours of Thursday, before they mysteriously vanished. They were travelling from Free State, via Gauteng and heading to Limpopo.

“I believe the national commissioner and his team are doing everything to bring them back, alive. That is all I pray for. Just bring back my wife alive. Thank you,” Thepa addressed a media briefing in Bloemfontein. 

The three police officers were travelling in the same vehicle, a Volkswagen Polo, when they vanished with the hatchback.

Constable Linda was represented at the media briefing by his uncle Sipho Linda, who also appealed for the police officers’ return.

“Yes, we had questions and we still have questions but most of our questions were answered by the national commissioner. They have given us the commitment that they are not resting, they are following every lead to try and find our children.

“We just want to appeal to the public out there that as the national commissioner and the premier have indicated, anybody with information, nothing happens unnoticed nowadays, somebody must have seen something, somebody must know something. Consider these your kids as well. They were doing a job to protect the community. They were there to serve you,” the uncle pleaded.

Constable Senoge’s father, Paul Senoge also added his voice to the plea. 

“We are only appealing for the children to be returned. Probably it was a hijacking of the vehicle, please allow us to see our family members. If you were close, or if you know anything that happened, please go to the police station near you and report,” he said.

Earlier, IOL reported that national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola has announced a R350,000 reward for information which can lead to the three missing police officers being found.

Masemola also addressed journalists in Bloemfontein on Sunday, flanked by senior officials including Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae and deputy national police commissioner for crime detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya.

“We are hopeful and we will find whoever is behind this. We will definitely make sure that we do not rest. On that score, we have put out a reward of R350,000 for any information on the whereabouts of our members, and the whereabouts of those criminals that are behind the disappearance of our own,” he said.

Anyone with “solid and concrete information” is advised to contact the investigating officer, Captain Chaacha Manga on 082 527 6099.

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IOL has previously reported that the three police officers’ last known location was the Engen fuel station in Gauteng, on the N1 on Thursday. When the vehicle they were travelling in left the fuel station, the vehicle tracking device and cellphones were switched off.

The trio was travelling in a Volkswagen Polo hatchback with registration number JCL 401 FS.

Meanwhile, the African Media and Communicators Forum said the extensive search is still on for missing Pretoria-based journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Mdhluli.

Chairperson of the African Media and Communicators Forum, Elijah Mhlanga said Ndlovu and Mdhluli have been missing since February 18.

The National Press Club and the African Media and Communicators Forum have jointly dangled a reward of R50,000 for information that would result in a breakthrough.

“This was done to assist the ongoing police investigation into the mysterious disappearance of the couple. The Ndlovu and Mdhluli families continue to appeal for information regarding their whereabouts,” said Mhlanga.

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

IOL