The South African Coalition for Transitional Justice (SACTJ) welcomes the Gauteng division of the High Court’s guilty conviction of two former apartheid police officers, Sergeant Abraham Hercules Engelbrecht (61) and Sergeant, Pieter Stander (60), for the premediated murder of student activist Caiphus Nyoka in 1987. A commanding officer, Major Leon Louis Van Den Berg (75), was acquitted on the charges. This ruling marks important progress toward establishing accountability for families whose cases were left unresolved for decades.
For too long, survivors & families affected by apartheid-era violations have carried the ongoing burden of seeking justice. The outcome in the Nyoka case demonstrates what is possible when the state fulfils its constitutional obligations and when civil society continues to press for answers. The decision affirms that impunity cannot stand, even decades after the crime.
SACTJ acknowledges and commends the unwavering work of the Foundation for Human Rights and the dedicated legal team from Weber Wentzel Pro Bono Department who supported the Nyoka family throughout this long journey. Their persistence illustrates the vital role of civil society organisations and public-interest lawyers in advancing truth and accountability where the promise of the TRC was not fulfilled. Their efforts have helped bring clarity, dignity, and a measure of justice to the family.
This judgment is not only about a single case. It speaks directly to South Africa’s commitment to the rule of law and to the ongoing task of building a society grounded in human rights and shared belonging. Pursuing overdue TRC-related prosecutions strengthens confidence in our democratic institutions and signals to all victims that their experiences matter.
SACTJ urges the National Prosecuting Authority to maintain momentum in all other outstanding apartheid-era cases. Genuine reconciliation requires that the harms of the past are acknowledged, investigated, and addressed. Only through sustained action can South Africa move closer to the just and inclusive future envisioned at the dawn of democracy.
We stand with the Nyoka family today, and with all families still seeking truth and justice.
Spokesperson: Shirley Gunn – shirleygunn@sactj.org.za
Media Inquiries: Nande Mbekela – nandembekela@sactj.org.za
