Latest news with #JohanMarais
Zawya
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
South Africa: Justice Committee Chairperson Welcomes Apartheid Cop's Sentence for Killing Caiphus Nyoka
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Xola Nqola, has welcomed the 15-year prison sentence handed down to former apartheid police officer Mr Johan Marais for the 1987 killing of student activist Mr Caiphus Nyoka. Mr Marais was sentenced today in the Pretoria High Court. He is one of three individuals charged in connection with Mr Nyoka's murder and pleaded guilty, stating that he had been ordered to assassinate Mr Nyoka. Mr Nqola said: 'This sentence is indeed welcome. A young man was robbed of his life, a bright future. The committee would like to see the finalisation of all apartheid crimes. This will bring some closure for the families and friends of our liberation struggle heroes, even if it does not bring back their loved ones.' He added: 'We commend the prosecuting team for ensuring that justice is done. This should be a message to all those unfinalised matters that the committee would like we want it to proceed in this manner.' Mr Nqola emphasised that the committee will continue to monitor similar cases, as survivors and families should not have to wait decades for justice. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
South African court jails ex-cop for apartheid murder
AI- Generated Image JOHANNESBURG: A South African court Thursday served a 15-year jail sentence on an ex-policeman for the 1987 murder of a young anti-apartheid activist in a rare conviction for such crimes. In 2019, Johan Marais admitted killing Caiphus Nyoka, a member of the Congress of South African Students, in a township east of Johannesburg. High Court judge Papi Mosopa said Marais, lacked genuine remorse and ruled the 66-year-old be jailed for 15 years as "retribution". More than a dozen people wearing T-shirts bearing Nyoka's image burst into anti-apartheid songs in court after the verdict was read out. The National Prosecuting Authority hailed it as "ensuring accountability for atrocious crimes" referred to it by South Africa's truth and reconciliation commission (TRC), set up in 1996 to process crimes committed under apartheid. The TRC heard about 7,000 applications for amnesty from perpetrators of gross human rights violations from 1960 to 1994, the year white-minority rule ended. But only a handful were prosecuted. Nyoka was sleeping with three friends when officers raided his home and shot him nine times, it said. He died from multiple gunshot wounds. "This sentence is therefore significant and impactful, not only for the state and society, but most importantly for the victims' families to finally find closure," the NPA said in a statement.
News24
10-07-2025
- News24
Former apartheid cop gets 15 years for 1987 murder of Caiphus Nyoka
Johan Marais, the former apartheid cop who pleaded guilty to the 1987 murder of student activist Caiphus Nyoka, has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars. Marais, 66, appeared in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday, more than 37 years after he gunned down Nyoka on 23 August 1987 in Daveyton, Gauteng. Marais, who pleaded guilty to the crime, said he was given an order to assassinate Nyoka. Judge Mokhine Mosopa said his sentence had to fit the punishment and serve as a deterrent and retribution.
IOL News
10-06-2025
- IOL News
Johan Marais faces sentencing for the murder of activist Caiphus Nyoka in apartheid-era case
Former apartheid police officer Johan Marais, who was earlier found guilty of the 1987 murder of student activist Caiphus Nyoka, will be back in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria. Image: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers Former apartheid police officer Johan Marais, who was earlier found guilty of the 1987 murder of student activist Caiphus Nyoka, will be back in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, on July 7, when arguments will be further presented regarding his possible sentence. The defence called a psychologist last week who assessed the 66-year-old Marais. She told the court that he has remorse for what he had done 38 years ago, and he wishes that he could undo what had happened. Apartheid-era police officer Johan Marais will be back in the dock in July to face punishment for his role in the killing of Caiphus Nyoka. Image: Zelda Venter Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The proceedings have been set down for a week in July, during which the family of Nyoka is expected to state their feelings about the case. In mitigation of sentence, psychologist Kirsten Clark pointed out that Marais is willing to partake in rehabilitation programmes, as well as his age, and the fact that he is not healthy. Marais, however, indicated that he would abide by a prison sentence if this was what the court had in mind. In August 1987, Nyoka was fatally shot at his family home in Daveyton by a police unit established to deal with terrorism. In 1988 and 1989, an inquest held before the Benoni Magistrate's Court resulted in a ruling that the police had acted in self-defence, despite evidence presented by the family suggesting otherwise. In 1997, Nyoka's mother, Saroma Nyoka, and his sister, Alegria Nyoka, approached the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to seek justice and to unearth the truth behind the killing. None of the police officers involved in Nyoka's killing applied for amnesty. Marais described his role as a section leader in Reaction Unit 6 (riot unit) based in Dunnottar at the time of the killing. He said on August 23, 1987, he and other members were called by their commander.
