Johannesburg - Deaths in police custody or as result of police action have dropped, but brutality and criminality cases shot up in 2012/13, according to the Ipid's latest annual report.
There were 696 deaths in custody in 2012/13 compared to 932 in the previous financial year, according to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate's report released on Tuesday.
The number of cases of brutality and criminality against police increased by 37 percent to 6728.
Alleged police brutality came under the spotlight in February when minibus taxi driver Mido Macia was dragged behind a police van along a street in Daveyton, east of Johannesburg. He was later found dead in the local police station's holding cell.
The report revealed that 168 cases of rape in police custody had been lodged, compared to 40 the previous year.
Sapa