As the search for missing journalist Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli continues, the media community unites in hope, offering a R50 000 reward for information.
Image: African Media and Communicators Forum
A growing sense of alarm surrounds the disappearance of three South African Police Service (SAPS) constables who went missing under mysterious circumstances while travelling from Bloemfontein to their deployment site in Limpopo.
The case is the latest in a string of unexplained disappearances that have ignited concerns over the possible existence of a covert “third force” targeting security personnel, activists, and journalists in South Africa.
Constables Cebekhulu Linda (24), Keamogetswe Buys (30), and Boipelo Senoge (20) were last seen on Wednesday near the Grasmere toll plaza on the N1 highway, where their vehicle, a white Volkswagen Polo (registration number JCL 401 FS), was tracked to an Engen fuel station. Since then, both their vehicle’s tracking device and their mobile phones have gone dark.SAPS national spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, confirmed the troubling development.
“The trio were off-duty at the time and were expected to report for duty in Limpopo. A 24-hour operational centre has been established to coordinate the search effort, with elite detectives and crime intelligence units from Gauteng and the Free State actively involved,” said Mathe.
Police are investigating the possibility of hijacking and kidnapping, but the circumstances have led some within the security community to speculate about broader and more sinister forces at play.“This is not an isolated incident,” warned a retired intelligence official who requested anonymity.
Three SAPS constables Cebekhulu Linda, Keamogetswe Buys and Boipelo Senoge were travelling in a white Volkswagen Polo sedan from Bloemfontein to their area of deployment in Limpopo when they went missing.
Image: SAPS
“There’s a disturbing trend of people in sensitive roles — police, whistleblowers, and journalists —vanishing without a trace. It points to a coordinated effort, potentially by a rogue element or third force with access to surveillance and counter-surveillance tools.”
Adding fuel to these suspicions is the unresolved disappearance of Pretoria-based journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli, missing since February.
Ndlovu, known for his hard-hitting investigative reports on corruption within local government, was last heard from while preparing to publish a major exposé. The African Media and Communicators Forum has expressed concern that his disappearance may not be coincidental.
“We fear for Sibusiso’s life. The fact that no ransom demand has been made and no leads have materialised is deeply troubling,” said the Forum’s spokesperson, Lerato Mokoena.
“It’s becoming harder to ignore the possibility of a targeted campaign to silence voices and sow fear.”National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, has appealed to the public for any information that could assist in locating the missing constables. “We urge anyone with knowledge of their whereabouts to contact Captain Chaacha Manga at 082 527 6099,” he said.
As pressure mounts for answers, South Africans are left grappling with a disturbing question: Are these disappearances isolated crimes, or is there a clandestine force operating in the shadows?
The SAPS continues to urge vigilance and cooperation from the public, as the fate of its missing officers — and potentially others — hangs in the balance.