Justice has finally caught up with former apartheid-era police officer Johan Marais, who was today sentenced to 15 years in prison for the 1987 murder of student activist Caiphus Nyoka. The sentencing took place at the Pretoria High Court, marking a significant moment in South Africa’s ongoing reckoning with its painful past.
Marais, who served as a Section Leader in the notorious Reaction Unit 6, pleaded guilty to the premeditated killing — a shocking admission that sheds light on the brutal tactics employed during the apartheid regime. His unit was infamous for targeting anti-apartheid activists during one of the country’s most repressive and violent eras.
Caiphus Nyoka was a young, vibrant student leader whose activism made him a threat to the apartheid system. His death, like those of many others, was shrouded in silence and impunity for decades. Today’s sentencing, though long overdue, has brought a measure of closure to his family and to those who continue to fight for accountability.
The courtroom was heavy with emotion as the judge delivered the sentence, acknowledging the irreversible harm caused but affirming that justice, however delayed, is still justice. The case stands as a powerful reminder that the crimes of the past cannot remain buried — and that the pursuit of truth and accountability endures, even decades later.
