Apartheid-Era Officers Fail to Stop Trial in Student Activist’s Killing

A desperate attempt by two former apartheid-era police officers to have a murder case against them dismissed was denied by the High Court in Benoni, Pretoria.

Under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act, Major Leon Louis Van Den Berg (75) and former Sergeant Abraham Hercules Engelbrecht (61) had requested a discharge, claiming the state had not established a connection between them and the 1987 murder of student activist Caiphus Nyoka. In contrast, the court decided that the trial had to go forward.

Nyoka was an active member of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) during the apartheid era, and the two are accused of playing important roles in a deadly police raid that resulted in his death, along with a third co-accused, former Sergeant Pieter Stander (60).

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) claims that the murder occurred early on August 24, 1987. According to reports, a plan to raid Nyoka’s house had been made the previous evening. He was sleeping when the Reaction Unit of the South African Police barged into his room at around 2:30 am. Nyoka was allegedly shot nine times by the officers after they had removed his three friends from the room. He was shot multiple times and died at the scene.

Nyoka’s sisters, a survivor who witnessed the shooting, a researcher from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), and the lead investigator were among the five witnesses the prosecution called during the trial. The case was then closed by the state.

The court rejected Engelbrecht’s discharge application. In contrast, Van Den Berg decided to keep quiet and ended his case without putting up a defense.

The case has now been rescheduled for September 8–19, 2025, when Engelbrecht and Stander are scheduled to make their defense. On June 5 and 6, 2025, Johan Marais, 65, another accused who served in the Reaction Unit, will appear in court for sentencing after entering a guilty plea to Nyoka’s murder.

The NPA applauded the court’s ruling, calling it a significant win that enables the state to pursue justice for crimes committed during the apartheid era.

“This ruling is a significant advancement in holding those accountable for apartheid-era crimes.” NPA spokesman Lumka Mahanjana stated, “The state will keep working to secure justice for Caiphus Nyoka and his family.”

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Sourced:IOL

Picture:X/@VelasquezDiazM