State faces lawsuit over alleged police negligence

A family living in dire poverty plans to sue Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula. This comes after their son died in police custody in Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape.

Melikhaya Yanta was stabbed to death with a knife by a fellow inmate while in a cell for a misdemeanor. He is just one of more than 1 300 people who have died in custody over the past two years.

Yanta was visiting his fiancé and while there he had a few drinks. His fiancé's landlord called the police when he became rowdy. He was put into a cell to sober up, but was stabbed to death with a knife by another inmate. Yanta's family is now planning to sue the State for police negligence.

The Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) is investigating. ICD spokesperson Dikeledi Phiri confirmed that they received a complaint on April 29 and have begun preliminary investigations into the matter.

Police rules state that before a person is put into the cells, they must be searched thoroughly for weapons.

Yanta will be buried tomorrow.