Deaths by cops increase

The number of people killed by police has increased by nearly half since 2004, according to a report on crime set to be released by the South African Institute of Race Relations.

The South Africa Survey, which is to be released next week by the SAIRR, shows that in the financial year of 2003/2004, 380 people were killed as a result of police action.

By the 2008/09 financial year this had peaked at 612 deaths and then fell back to 566 in the 2009/10 year -- an overall increase of 49 percent.

The report cites figures obtained from the Internal Complaints Directorate.

The larger portion of those shot dead by police were killed as they were being arrested or as they were about to commit a crime.

In 2009/10, 257 people were shot as they were about to be arrested while police killed another 124 during the course of a crime and a further 57 people were shot "during the course of investigation".

The 2008/09 year was the most deadly for innocent bystanders, when 32 were accidently killed by police. The report does not detail whether it was a case of mistaken identity or whether they were caught in crossfire.

The year before only three innocent bystanders were killed.

The number of "domestic violence related and off-duty shootings" shootings fell by some 58 percent between 2003/04 and 2009/10 - from 53 to 22 deaths, although the number peaked at 60 deaths in 2007/08.

Police driving was also cause for concern with 42 people dying in accidents involving a police vehicle in 2009/10. This was 133 percent up on 2003/04 when 18 people were killed.

(This story was provided and used with permission by Timeslive.)