Political deaths in police custody 1984 - 1989

Published: 3 Apr 2011
Updated: 10 Aug 2017

Year	Date	Name	Affiliation	Place of death	Description
1984	15 July	Ngalo, Johannes (26)		Parys	Found dead in cell due to serious internal injuries.
	29 September			Sebokeng	Shot in head by policeman during altercation between police and other arrested youths in police van.
	5/7 November	Masunyane, Anthony		Katlehong	Police informed victim's family of death in custody after stayaway.
	11/19 November	Maseko, Samson (19)		Katlehong	Found at mortuary with terrible marks & bruises after reported arrest.
	22 November	Ngwenya, Abel (31)		Daveyton	Police reported epileptic fit as cause of death while pathologist indicated violence involved in death and family denied any history of epilepsy.
	Late 84/early 85	Korotsoane, Tatlheho (28)		Vereeniging	Reported to have been in security detention, but police denied this.
1985	29 March	Mvulane, Bheki (18)		Katlehong	Brain injuries from alleged police violence while awaiting trial.
	5 May	Mutsi, Sipho (20)	COSAS	Odendaalsrus	Died during interrogation; post-mortem revealed head injuries and severe sjambok weals.
	6 May	Raditsela, Andries (29)	COSATU, CWIU	Tsakane	Died of head injuries after being violently confronted by police while producing documents to counter car theft accusations.
	3 July	Muggels, Mzwandile (20)	Karoo Youth Congress	Steytlerville	Died from gunshot wounds during arrest at memorial service.
	5 July	Spogter, Johannes (13)	Nephew of Muggels	Steytlerville	Found dead (attributed to head injuries) during routine cell visit.
	16 August	Mokoena, Sonnyboy (24)		Pilgrim's Rest	Allegedly found hanged in cell.
	16 August	George, Thembalake (15)	KWT Youth League	King William's Town	Mother found victim unresponsive at hospital with badly swollen face after arrested at a student gathering.
	18/19 August	Ndzandze, Loyiso (20)	KWT Youth League	King William's Town	Circumstances same as George above, except died a few days later.
	21 September	Mbotya, Mbuyiselo (35)	KWT Youth League/UDF	King William's Town	Died from head injuries.
	24 September	Ndondo, Batandwa (22)	SRC- University of Transkei	Cala, Transkei	Allegedly shot several times by police on the outskirts of Cala.
	18 October	Ramalepe, Ngwako	President SRC - Modjadji Teacher Training College	Kgapane, Lebowa	Assaulted by police at station and later dumped along a road.
	17 November	Mogale, Meshack (16)	Student	Mamelodi East	Sister, arrested with him at a night vigil for unrest victim, alleged he was kicked and sjambokked by police.
1986	1 April	Poshoko, Joel (29)	CCAWUSA	Pretoria	Allegedly assaulted by police during interrogation
	5 April	Kutumela, Lucky (25)	Journalist! AZAPO/ MWASA	Mahwelereng, Lebowa	Found dead in police cell with more than 40 sjambok weals.
	11 April	Nchabeleng, Peter (59)	President of Northern Transvaal UDF	Schoonoord, Lebowa	Allegedly tortured by police.
	12 April	Ngomane, Eric (22)	Student	KaNgwane	Police claim he was shot dead while trying to escape.
	19 April	Mashego, Johannes (26)		Parys	Police state he collapsed during interrogation; relatives reported extensive bruising and swollen face upon identifying the victim's body.
	26 July	Stuurman, Mlungise (18)		Cradock	Interrogated and then killed by 2 'unrest unit' members who were later sentenced to death for his murder.
	11 December	Mapumolo, Matthews	ANC	Swaziland	Accosted and shot at home by a group of armed men; abducted to South Africa while wounded, then died.
	13 December	Mogotsi, Joseph	Teacher	Pretoria	Assaulted after police forced car off the road.
	15 Decemeber	Olifant, Benji (25)		Klerksdorp	Allegedly shot while attempting to escape
1987	16 February	Unknown youth (17)	Soweto		Allegedly jumped from Casspir in an attempt to escape from custody.
	9 July	Cele, Edwin (22)	Lamontville Youth Congress	Durban	Shot by police while allegedly trying to pull the pin from a hand grenade.
	9 July	Kriel, Ashley (20)	Bonteheuwel Student Activist	Athlone	Police reported victim killed during arrest scuffle while post-mortem indicated victim shot in the back at 'point-blank' range.
	24 July	Mntonga, Eric	IDASA/SAAWU	Mdantsane	Killed by 6 Ciskei security officers at police cells.
	23 August	Nyoka, Caiphus	Student leader	Daveyton	Shot dead by police, execution-style, while raiding his father's home.
	4 November	Marume, Ndiko		Sasolburg	Died inside a police van while being transported to Sasolburg police station.
1988	20 March	Kobe, Andile (22)	George Youth/Civic Associations	Sandkraal	Beaten for at least 30 minutes by police in front of eyewitnesses.
	1 December	Khoza, Amos (18)		Johannesburg	Fell seven stories from a flat where he was allegedly escorting police to identify the place where he had made contact with an ANC member.
1989	23 January	Dakuse, Patrick (36)		Khayelitsha	Shot dead by police after allegedly tried to prime a hand grenade from an arms cache that he had taken the police to see.
	21 April	Mbetheni, Dinana (21)		Alice	Found in cell hanging from an electric wire tied to a bar.
	22 December	Ruiters, Kevin (22)		Bellville South	Mother found that his face had been 'badly bashed'