IPID Investigates Teen's Death in Custody: The Tragic Case of Kuhle Zindlu

• The Independent Police Investigative Directorate is probing the death of 19-year-old Kuhle Zindlu in Mthatha, Eastern Cape
• He was arrested in Upper Qweqwe in November 2025 and later found dead near the police station guardroom
• IPID has registered the case as a death in custody and a preliminary investigation is underway to determine what happened

EASTERN CAPE-The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has launched an investigation into the death of a 19-year-old man who died while in police custody in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape.

Reports by IOL indicate that the teenager, identified as Kuhle Zindlu, was arrested in the Upper Qweqwe area on 22 November 2025. He was later discovered dead near the security guardroom at the Mthatha Central Police Station.

Family demand justice

According to the family, Zindlu was not facing any criminal charges when he was arrested. They allege police took him into custody in Upper Qweqwe village without explanation. Family members also claim he was assaulted while in custody, sustaining serious injuries. His body was later found in a drainage area near the police station’s security section, raising serious questions about the circumstances of his death.

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IPID speaks on the case

IPID spokesperson Phaladi Shuping confirmed that the directorate formally registered the case after receiving the police docket earlier this week.

“The copies of the docket were received on Thursday, 15 January 2026. IPID has registered the matter as a death in police custody under reference number CCN2026010251,” Shuping said.

He added that a preliminary investigation is currently underway to establish the circumstances surrounding Zindlu’s death, including events leading up to and following his arrest.

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3 Briefly articles on IPID

Previously, Briefly News reported that former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane told Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee that private forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan had effectively “captured” the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and exerted influence over the South African Police Service (SAPS) and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Phahlane said O’Sullivan and associates wielded significant control without holding official authority, shaping investigative and oversight actions. His testimony formed part of a broader parliamentary inquiry into alleged misconduct and interference within the justice cluster.

Nearly three years after the April 2022 murder of Emmanuel Mbense in Brakpan, neither the South African Police Service (SAPS) nor the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has secured arrests in the case, drawing growing public and political scrutiny. The investigation stalled despite testimony at the Madlanga Commission from a key witness, Marius van der Merwe, who described police involvement and alleged mishandling of the matter. Van der Merwe’s own subsequent shooting and death intensified criticism that law enforcement and oversight bodies have failed to act decisively. Family members and civil society groups continue to demand accountability and transparency as frustration mounts over the prolonged lack of progress.

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The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has opened a probe into KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi over allegations that he improperly interfered with a 2023 drug-related arrest of a senior Correctional Services official. The investigation centres on claims that Mkhwanazi instructed officers not to proceed with the arrest during an operation in Richards Bay, despite evidence seized by police. IPID has asked the commissioner to submit a sworn statement as part of its preliminary inquiry, which is still in its early stages. Mkhwanazi has denied wrongdoing, calling the allegations unfounded and asserting he will cooperate with the investigation.

Source: Briefly News