Khehla Nkuta was born in Vrede, Free State, in 1945. He was raised in Alexandra, Johannesburg by his father who was a motor mechanic and his mother who worked as a general labourer. He and his siblings were politically conscious, which led to two of them sacrificing their lives during the struggle against apartheid. His brother, Harrison Peter Nkuta,  was shot and killed during the 1976 Alexandra Uprising.

Nkuta became actively involved in the liberation struggle and joined MK, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC). He operated in exile and received military training in the Soviet Union. He was later deployed to Angola, where he also trained other cadres, including well-known MK members.

Known by the alias “William Monangwe,” Nkuta played a strategic role in facilitating the movement of MK operatives across borders, particularly between Mozambique and Swaziland. His work made him a target of apartheid security forces.

He is remembered by his family as a committed freedom fighter who dedicated his life to the liberation of South Africa. He has a daughter, Zandile, who now lives abroad.

By late 1977, Nkuta had been identified by the Security Branch as a key operative involved in transporting MK members between Maputo and Mbabane. In response, members of the Pietermaritzburg and Eastern Transvaal Security Branch divisions initiated a coordinated plan to eliminate or capture him.

An initial ambush attempt failed when Nkuta avoided the trap. A second operation, conducted in early 1978, succeeded. Security Branch operatives staged the ambush on a farm inside Swaziland that was used as a base for cross-border operations. The attackers reportedly cut a fence to release cattle onto the road, forcing Nkuta’s vehicle to slow down.

As Nkuta and his companion, Mr John Majola, approached the area, Security Branch members opened fire. Both men were wounded. Majola managed to escape into the bush despite his injuries, but Nkuta, who had returned fire during the ambush, was ultimately captured.

He was then forcibly removed from Swaziland and taken into South Africa. According to available records, Nkuta died shortly thereafter, either from his injuries or as a result of being killed in custody. The exact circumstances of his death have never been established.

The operation was allegedly jointly commanded by senior Security Branch officers and involved multiple operatives. It took place before formal authorisation procedures for cross-border raids had been established, raising further questions about its legality.

The TRC investigated Nkuta’s case and confirmed that he had been abducted from Swaziland by members of the South African Security Branch and died following his return to South Africa.

Evidence before the Commission revealed that the ambush formed part of a planned operation targeting Nkuta due to his role in MK activities. The Commission also noted that at least one operative, Warrant Officer Don Gold, applied for amnesty in relation to an earlier, failed attempt to ambush Nkuta. However, no amnesty applications were made in relation to the successful operation that led to his abduction and death.

As a result, the full truth of what happened to Nkuta after his capture was never disclosed. The TRC was unable to establish the precise cause of death or identify individual accountability beyond the broader finding of state responsibility.

For decades, the Nkuta family has lived with the uncertainty surrounding Khehla’s disappearance and death. A central priority for the family has been to locate his remains and establish the truth about what happened after his abduction.

Nkuta’s mother and wife testified before the TRC, but their efforts did not yield definitive answers. Like many families of disappeared activists, they faced both institutional silence and the lasting trauma of unresolved loss.

In recent years, the case has been taken up by the Missing Persons Task Team and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). In 2025, the NPA indicated that an inquest would be opened to investigate the circumstances of Nkuta’s death. The inquest is expected to take place in Komaatipoort, Mpumalanga, near the site of the abduction.

The Nkuta family has expressed a desire for a transparent process that will finally uncover the truth and, where possible, lead to accountability. More than four decades after his disappearance, the search for justice continues.