Over 900 die in South African police custody

About 932 people died in police custody in South Africa in 2011-12, a report by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) revealed.

KwaZulu-Natal had 268 deaths with Gauteng second at 217 deaths and Eastern Cape had 120, the Dispatch Online reported.

Meanwhile, eight police officers, implicated in the death of an East Rand taxi driver, are expected to appear in the Daveyton Magistrate's Court on Monday.

The two warrant officers and six constables face a murder charge following the death of Mido Macia while in police custody.

The officers allegedly tied 27-year-old Macia to the back of a police van and dragged him along a street in Daveyton on Tuesday.

Macia, a taxi driver and Mozambican national, died at the local police station's cells several hours later. His body was found by a police officer on Tuesday night.

A post mortem revealed he died of head and internal injuries.

Ipid spokesman Moses Dlamini said police reported that they had earlier found Macia wrongfully parked on a road and ordered him to move.

Macia's death caused a public outcry against police brutality.

The Dispatch Online reported that the Ipid was also investigating the death of a policeman who died in police custody at the Barkly East police station in January, a day after he was detained for allegedly being drunk.