His hands are tied to the rear of a police van while his body lies behind it, on the ground. The van speeds off, dragging the slender man along the pavement as a crowd of onlookers shouts in dismay and at least one videotapes the scene. He is later found dead in a police cell.

South Africa’s top detective has been appointed lead investigator in the Oscar Pistorius case, replacing a veteran policeman who was charged with attempted murder in the latest shock development to hit a case being watched closely by the world.

Thirty four striking miners were killed and another 78 wounded when police in South Africa opened fire on them, police chief Mangwashi Victoria Phiyega said today.