A suspect believed to be the mastermind behind the murder of Cape Town activist Loyiso Nkohla has died of a heart attack while in police holding cells.

A 39-year-old suspect scheduled to appear in the East London Magistrate's Court on Friday morning in connection with Loyiso Nkohla's murder was found dead in the holding cells.

The Serious Organised Crime Investigation team arrested the suspect in Peddie in the Ngqushwa Local Municipality, within the Amathole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape, on 16 November 2023.

While authorities declined to reveal the identity of the now-deceased suspect, Daily Maverick has it on good authority that the deceased was the individual police and Hawks believed to be the mastermind behind the killing of Nkohla.

No foul play suspected

Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi said the suspect died of a heart attack. "No foul play is suspected as it is confirmed that he died of a heart attack early this morning," he said. No further information was revealed.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate is expected to investigate the case. Nkohla was killed in a hail of bullets at Philippi railway station in Cape Town on 17 April. It is believed that Nkohla was targeted for his role in talks to clear Metrorail's Central Line, where families had built homes along the line.

Zukisa Tshabile, 38, was first arrested, followed by...