Franziska’s father Florian Blöchliger said police had told him they had recovered a cell phone in West Lake‚ less than a kilometre from the crime. He was‚ however‚ unaware that any arrests had been made.

“I have just spoken to the police. They said they are on their way to us with good news‚” he said.

He said he had been planning to announce later on Wednesday that they were increasing the reward from R50000 to R100000. “We will still go ahead with increasing the reward.”

He said the family had been told by police they may release the results of his daughter’s post-mortem later on Wednesdsay .

“I saw people on Facebook saying that my child was white. My child was not white‚ my child was coloured. It’s not that I want to advertise that she is coloured. She had dual citizenship for South Africa and Switzerland. My wife is Indian-coloured‚” said Florian.

On Wednesday morning‚ people continued to bring flowers to the Tokai Forest‚ where the 16-year-old jogger’s body was discovered after she had disappeared on Monday afternoon.

Earlier‚ Lieutenant-Colonel Andrè Traut told TMG Digital: “Three suspects between the ages of 22 and 27 are being detained for questioning in connection with the murder of Franziska Blochliger after their arrest last night.

 “The circumstances surrounding the case are still under investigation and no further information can be released at this stage.”

Florian and Shireen Blöchliger said they were “devastated” by the loss of their eldest daughter.

 “We are appealing to the community‚ to everyone around here‚ to help us to find this person who can do something horrible like that‚” said Florian. “Not only so that they can put him into jail‚ but so that he can’t do that to somebody else. Because if he has done something like that once‚ he will do it again.”

Her body was found in fynbos at the edge of the forest.

Her phone was last tracked by police to nearby Westlake at 9pm on Monday.