Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
14 November 2024 | 10:56 CAT

The late Caiphus Nyoka. Photo: The Citizen

In a high-profile case touching South Africa’s turbulent past, former security branch member Johannes Marais has confessed to the murder of anti-apartheid student activist Caiphus Nyoka. Marais’ plea, shedding light on an incident shrouded in official secrecy and misinformation for decades entered under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Act, confirmed he had acted under orders from Sergeant Engelbrecht, a fellow security branch member, to assassinate Nyoka in Davidson on 24 August 1987.

This chilling case highlights the severe lengths to which apartheid-era security forces went to suppress dissent. Nyoka, a prominent youth activist from Davidson, had been detained multiple times but remained undeterred in his fight for justice. His tragic death unfolded during a covert operation executed by the Benoni Security Branch and Action Unit 6. As relayed in Marais’ confession, Nyoka was found at his home and shot nine times at close range after his friends were removed from the room.

In an interview with Radio Islam International, Jos Venter, legal representative for Nyoka’s family, emphasized the significance of the confession. “This moment is monumental for the family, who have waited nearly four decades to uncover the truth,” Venter said. “For years, they harboured suspicions that Caiphus’s death was no accident but a planned execution.”

The brutal killing of Caiphus Nyoka, a young activist from Davidson who had been active in the 1980s anti-apartheid movement, became a high-profile case in 2019 when Marais first confessed to a journalist. His admission led to a formal investigation by the Hawks, culminating in the recent trial. Nyoka’s family, who had long questioned the official police account, were devastated by the original 1988-89 inquest, which ruled his death a result of self-defence.

Venter detailed the impact of Marais’ confession on Nyoka’s relatives, noting how it validated their doubts. “What was said in 1988 and 1989 was a fabrication,” Venter explained. “The version presented then that Caiphus was armed and threatening officers was a lie used to cover up an execution,” Marais revealed that he was instructed by Sergeant Engelbrecht to kill Nyoka, dispelling the official narrative that officers had acted in self-defence.

For Nyoka’s family, this moment has brought long-awaited clarity. “The revelation that there was an order to execute Caiphus confirms what the family has always believed but could never prove,” said Venter. “This truth, though painful, is invaluable to them.”

Marais is set to return to court on 27 January 2025 for sentencing, with the proceedings likely incorporating a psycho-legal report. Venter expressed hope that this long-awaited justice will offer solace. “This is a significant step forward for all families whose loved ones fell victim to state-sanctioned violence during apartheid,” Venter concluded. “Though it does not bring Caiphus back, the truth finally being acknowledged is a victory in its own right.”

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and Jos Venter here.