The family of murdered student activist and former member of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) Caiphus Nyoka has welcomed the Pretoria High Court’s judgment that found two former apartheid police Sergeants, Abraham Hercules Engelbrecht and his colleague Pieter Stander guilty of the premeditated murder of Nyoka almost four decades ago.
Nyoka was shot and killed at his home in Daveyton by members of a police unit allegedly created to eliminate individuals labelled terrorists by the apartheid regime.
Family spokesperson and Caiphus’ niece, Nation, told YOU FM Newshour that although it took a while, justice will finally be served.
“We are still applying our mind to the judgment particularly in respect of the acquittal of Louis Van Den Berg, for now we are satisfied with the judgment.
What is key here though is that the family fought for justice and accountability beyond the grave of uncle Caiphus taking over from my grandfather of course.
Although we won’t bring him back, we are content with the outcome of Judge Mahomed Ishmael,” said Nation.
Johan Marais, an apartheid-era police officer was the first one amongst the four accused to be sentenced in July 2025 to 15 years imprisonment after pleading guilty while his co-accused, Leon Louis van den Berg, Stander and Engelbrecht, maintained their innocence.
Engelbrecht and Stander were found guilty on Tuesday and were remanded in custody until they apply for bail next week, while their commanding officer Van den Berg was acquitted of all charges preferred against him.
“Judge Ishmael did say that the state hasn’t presented enough evidence to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt of his involvement.
But you know he was the decision maker and although he was not found guilty it’s quite telling of how much the accused are willing to cover for their superiors.
It just highlights the collusion between the apartheid era perpetrators, the security branch as well as the judiciary in this 38-year battle for justice,” added Nyoka’s niece.
The family has called for a harsher sentence against Engelbrecht and Stander who blatantly denied their involvement.
“Although those two have been found guilty, we wait for their sentencing with bated breath because Marais pled guilty unlike them and although he was handed a 15-years sentence we feel that going forward those two must be handed a longer direct imprisonment sentence,” expressed Nation.
Meanwhile the National Prosecuting Authority, NPA has also welcomed the judgment, will study the judgment in respect of the acquittal of Van Den Berg and decide thereafter.
The matter was postponed to 11 December 2025 for the bail application, pending sentence of Engelbrecht and Stander.
The two are remanded in custody.
