The 19-year-old Grade 11 pupil at Martie du Plessis High School was abducted on 5 June 2025 while being driven home from school. Following his abduction, police launched a massive manhunt which led to the arrest of a police officer who was charged with kidnapping and extortion.

In the early hours of Friday, 27 June 2025, police were led to Wepener where Kamogelo was found unharmed. Five suspects, aged between 20 and 29, were arrested, bringing the total number of suspects to six.

Premier Letsoha-Mathae has thanked members of the police who have been working around the clock to bring Baukudi safely home. She said the rescue of Baukudi was a demonstration of their meticulous work and dedication to bringing a peaceful ending to a rather worrying incident.

The Premier also said she was mortified to learn that some of the suspects were almost the same age as Baukudi. She said this was a worrying indication of the prevalence of crime in the province, but added that the police were equal to the task of stopping criminals in their tracks.

Premier Letsoha-Mathae said she was always optimistic that the young man would be alive, owing it to paternal instincts.

The Premier further appealed to the public to allow the police space to complete their investigation to determine what happened, and to ensure the successful prosecution of the suspects.

“We are all incredibly relieved that Kamogelo Baukudi has been found unharmed. We thank the South African Police Service, under the capable leadership of Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane, for a job well done. The boy has been reunited with his family and we hope that he will quickly put this incident behind him and continue with his studies,” Premier Letsoha-Mathae said.

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However, the battle facing the youth today is of a different kind. This generation confronts serious challenges: limited access to opportunities, a staggering youth unemployment rate of 62.4%, and the pervasive issues of alcohol and substance abuse. Chief among these is the scourge of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).

In response to the alarming rise in GBVF and sexual offences; most of which are committed against women and children by men, the Free State Provincial Government, led by Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae, aligned this year’s Youth Month launch with educational programs and character-building initiatives. Central to these efforts is a dialogue with young boys, focusing on GBVF and its devastating impact on the nation’s aspirations and the future of its youth.

During the dialogue, held in Bultfontein under the Tswelopele Local Municipality on Thursday, 5 June 2025, Mayor Councillor Phukuntsi expressed deep concern over the high crime rate in the area, exacerbated by drug and alcohol abuse. She revealed that, in just the past week, three murder cases had been reported. Each allegedly occurring at local beer parlours. Livestock theft, particularly affecting surrounding farming communities, was also highlighted as a growing concern.

Premier Letsoha-Mathae’s Remarks at the Youth Month Launch in Bultfontein:

“Your generation, too, can write its own history,” she declared. “You have an opportunity to have your names written in the annals of history. All of us here belong to communities. We know firsthand the issues that directly affect where we live and the people around us.”

She continued, “I am therefore making an appeal to all of you: play your role. Do not turn a blind eye when rogue individuals bring destruction to the lives of our fellow citizens. In our quest to build a better and more prosperous province, we must draw inspiration from the brave class of 1976—those who stood firm against heavily armed, trigger-happy police in pursuit of a just South Africa.”

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