'Society is grieving', over taxi driver who died in a South African jail cell

Graca Michel, wife of Nelson Mandela, attends the memorial service of Mido Macia (Getty Images)

Hundreds of mourners gathered for a memorial service for Mido Macia, the Mozambican taxi driver who died in a South African cell after being dragged behind a police vehicle.

Footage of the incident broadcast last week, rekindled memories of apartheid-era police abuses. Eight police officers have been arrested on suspicion of murder and will appear in court tomorrow.

“As a society we are bleeding. We are grieving. We are in pain. We just don’t know how to deal with the pain,” Graca Machel, pictured, the Mozambican wife of former president Nelson Mandela, told reporters at the service.

Macia, 27, was found dead with signs of head injuries and internal bleeding, an initial post mortem report revealed.