Christopher van Rensburg, 33, Nigel, beaten to death by black cops in cells:
20080915
- mom Theresa Mercia van der Merwe awarded R390,000 compensation Aug 15 2008 - PRETORIA HIGH COURT -- The mother of Christopher van Rensburg, 33, arrested in Nigel in September 2005 with another man in trumped-up 'drunkenness' charges, was beaten to death by black cops in the local police cells. Van Rensburg had tried to stop these cops from beating up his friend. Forensic examinations determined that Van Rensburg had been sober, as had been his friend. Police brutality costs the SA taxpayers R120-million paid out in compensation claims like this last year. Yesterday the Pretoria High Court granted compensation to his mother Mrs Theresa Mercia van der Merwe, 53. The Minister admitted in the documents before the court, that actions by State-officials had caused Van Rensburg's death. He had died of multiple injuries inside the police cell while he was beaten up - in front of many witnesses. The police who participated and witnessed the beating also refused to obtain medical care for the prisoner in their care and thus also contributed to his willful death, allowing him to just die untended from his injuries, the Police Minister has admitted. Mother Mrs van der Merwe, a nursing assistant at the Life Suikerbos-clinic in Heidelberg, submitted in the court application that Van Rensburg supported her and other family members financially. Her daughter Theresa, 24, is brain-damaged after a car accident and both women need support. The court agreed that 'due to the illegal actions by the police, causing Van Rensburg's death, Mrs van der Merwe and her daughter have been denied the financial support by the deceased. She has also suffered great emotional shock and has been deeply traumatised by her son's death.' The UNNAMED police officers were not charged with murder, it's not known if they lost their jobs:
- mom Theresa Mercia van der Merwe awarded R390,000 compensation Aug 15 2008 - PRETORIA HIGH COURT -- The mother of Christopher van Rensburg, 33, arrested in Nigel in September 2005 with another man in trumped-up 'drunkenness' charges, was beaten to death by black cops in the local police cells. Van Rensburg had tried to stop these cops from beating up his friend. Forensic examinations determined that Van Rensburg had been sober, as had been his friend. Police brutality costs the SA taxpayers R120-million paid out in compensation claims like this last year. Yesterday the Pretoria High Court granted compensation to his mother Mrs Theresa Mercia van der Merwe, 53. The Minister admitted in the documents before the court, that actions by State-officials had caused Van Rensburg's death. He had died of multiple injuries inside the police cell while he was beaten up - in front of many witnesses. The police who participated and witnessed the beating also refused to obtain medical care for the prisoner in their care and thus also contributed to his willful death, allowing him to just die untended from his injuries, the Police Minister has admitted. Mother Mrs van der Merwe, a nursing assistant at the Life Suikerbos-clinic in Heidelberg, submitted in the court application that Van Rensburg supported her and other family members financially. Her daughter Theresa, 24, is brain-damaged after a car accident and both women need support. The court agreed that 'due to the illegal actions by the police, causing Van Rensburg's death, Mrs van der Merwe and her daughter have been denied the financial support by the deceased. She has also suffered great emotional shock and has been deeply traumatised by her son's death.' The UNNAMED police officers were not charged with murder, it's not known if they lost their jobs:
