Johannesburg - ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has described the death of a Daveyton taxi driver, allegedly at the hands of police, as a barbaric act, it was reported on Thursday.
“What is happening is worrying… It is a sign that we are a very angry nation and calls for something to be done,” he told The Times.
“If you look at what happened in Daveyton, no normal person can do this.”
The 27-year-old taxi driver, Mido Macia, a Mozambican, was found dead in the Daveyton police station cells a week ago.
He was allegedly attacked by policemen and dragged behind a police van after being arrested him for a traffic violation.
Eight policemen who were arrested in connection with the attack are expected to bring a bail application in the Benoni Magistrate's Court on Friday.
According to the newspaper, Mantashe had called Macia's death a xenophobic killing.
“If you are a foreigner and killed in our country, it is xenophobic,” he was quoted as saying.
“What happened is barbaric… Whether South African or Mozambican, this is terrible… It is a human being who died in a most inhumane way.”
Mantashe said this was not a narrow issue.
“You can see it in the cases of police brutality, violence against women and children, and service delivery protests.”
“We need to look at what is the problem we as a society are facing. Are we traumatised?” he asked. - Sapa