Caiphus Nyoka's Siblings Welcome Guilty Verdict for Apartheid Era Police Officers

Kgomotso Modise

2 December 2025 | 12:55

The Johannesburg High Court handed down judgment on Tuesday, finding two of the three apartheid era police guilty of his 1987 murder. 

Caiphus Nyoka's siblings welcome guilty verdict for apartheid era police officers 

The Johannesburg High Court has found two of the three apartheid police officers charged with the murder of student leader Caiphus Nyoka guilty of the crime. Picture: Kgomotso Modise/EWN

The sisters of anti-apartheid activist Caiphus Nyoka say they wish their parents were alive to see the day his killers are convicted.

The Johannesburg High Court handed down judgment on Tuesday, finding two of the three apartheid era police guilty of his 1987 murder.

Nyoka, who was a student activist, was shot multiple times in his Daveyton home.

The court found that the prosecution failed to prove Major Leon van den Berg associated himself with the acts of Johan Marais, Abraham Engelbrecht and Pieter Stander.

Marais pleaded guilty to the crime earlier this year and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for the murder.

The court was filled with sounds of jubilation as Judge Ismail Mohammed handed down judgment, finding two of the three men in the dock guilty of Nyoka's murder.

Nyoka’s sisters sat in the front row of the gallery, desperate to hear the court’s decision.

Alegria Nyoka said they welcome the judgment but consider it partial justice.

"Although the truth that we were looking for because all the accused maintained their right to silence, except for the little that was given by Marais."

None of the accused presented their version, opting to close their case after the state presented its evidence.

38 years since Nyoka's murder, his sister says they can now finally start healing, even though they may never know the reason for his murder.