Justice 37 Years Later: Johan Marais Sentenced for Apartheid-Era Murder of Caiphus Nyoka

South Africa finally gets a verdict in a decades-old case of political violence

Nearly 40 years after the killing of anti-apartheid student activist Caiphus Nyoka, justice has finally arrived. On Thursday, 10 July 2025, former apartheid police officer Johan Marais was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in the 1987 murder.

The verdict was handed down by the Pretoria High Court, sitting in Benoni, marking a historic moment in South Africa’s continued effort to reckon with its apartheid past.

The young leader silenced too soon

Nyoka, just 21 at the time of his death, was a prominent leader of COSAS (Congress of South African Students) in Daveyton and a regional coordinator for Transco East Rand.

In 1987, members of a covert apartheid police unit stormed his home and shot him, part of a state-sponsored campaign to eliminate those labelled “terrorists” by the regime.

His killing went unpunished for decades, until now.

One guilty plea, two trials still pending

Johan Marais is one of three men charged with Nyoka’s murder. He pleaded guilty to the killing. His two co-accused, Leon Louis van den Berg and Abraham Engelbrecht, have pleaded not guilty and remain on trial.

This sentence is a rare but significant outcome in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) case. While many perpetrators of apartheid crimes received amnesty in exchange for truth, those who never applied, or were denied, can still be prosecuted today.

A moment decades in the making

NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana welcomed the ruling, calling it a vital milestone and expressing hope that it sets a precedent for dozens of unresolved TRC-linked cases.

“We hope that this sentence will set a precedent for all other Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) cases,” Mahanjana said.

For families who have waited a lifetime for answers, this ruling offers more than closure. It’s a signal that South Africa has not forgotten.

Public response: “Justice, however late, still matters”

On social media, the news triggered an outpouring of emotion. Many celebrated the sentence as a long-overdue act of justice.

“Caiphus Nyoka’s name deserves to be remembered. He was a young leader who died fighting for freedom,” one X user posted.

Others called for renewed urgency in addressing apartheid-era crimes that were never brought to trial.

What happens next?

While Marais begins his 15-year sentence, the trial of his co-accused continues. The public, particularly communities affected by apartheid violence, is watching closely.

Nyoka’s name now stands among those who are finally seeing justice, not in the headlines of the 1980s, but in a 2025 courtroom.

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Source: eNCA

Featured Image: X (formerly known Twitter)/@ahmed_timol1971