Where is the VW Polo? Bodies retrieved from Hennops River amid search for missing cops

THE body count from Hennops River in Centurion has risen to five after the body of a female was retrieved, police confirmed on Tuesday afternoon.

Four bodies were retrieved from the Hennops River in Centurion, Tshwane, earlier in the day, and police believe two are linked to the three members of the SA Police Service (SAPS) who vanished mysteriously last week.

Addressing journalists at the crime scene, deputy national police commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, said one of the bodies found in the river was of a "white person".

"As you can see, we have an intense search and rescue. We had two helicopters flying yesterday when we found some bodies. I can tell you now, when we talk about bodies, it does not necessarily mean those of the (SAPS) members. 

"Some golfers stopped us as we were flying, they waved so that we could know, and they told us of a body of a white person that was there. We will also investigate that part of the body. It can be anything," said Sibiya.

"So far, we have four bodies, and two are unrelated to this situation that we are investigating."

Three police constables,  30-year-old Keamogetswe 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.

The three police officers' last known location was the Engen fuel station in Gauteng, on the N1 on Thursday.

Moments after leaving the fuel station, the police officers' vehicle tracking device and cellphones were switched off.

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

On Tuesday, Sibiya said the vehicle had not been found, and that was deeply concerning.

"That is a serious cause for concern. We are still looking for the vehicle and maybe perhaps the other body that we think we haven't recovered," he told journalists.

Earlier, national police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, emphasised that the identities of the bodies found in the Hennops River had not been confirmed by midday on Tuesday.

"The SAPS confirms that its investigation has brought it to the Hennops River in Centurion along the N1. We have three bodies so far, whose identities are yet to be confirmed," said Mathe.

"We are searching for another body, and for any other evidence that will assist us in concluding the case of the missing police officers."

While not confirmed, it is believed that the bodies may be those of the missing police officers, 20-year-old Constable Boipelo Senoge, 24-year-old Constable Cebekhulu Linda and 30-year-old Constable Keamogetswe Buys.