The eight policemen accused of killing protester Andries Tatane were refused bail in the Ficksburg Magistrate's Court on Friday, the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) said.
The court ordered that two of the accused who suffered from diabetes be detained in a facility that would ensure they received medication, ICD spokesman Moses Dlamini said.
Four of the policemen were charged with murder and six others faced a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
The case was postponed to June 2 for further investigation.
Scores of people gathered at the courthouse awaiting the outcome.
The SABC reported that angry protesters, who wanted bail opposed, were urged not to hurl insults at the authorities as they sang and chanted.
Sporting t-shirts with 33-year-old Tatane's photo on them, the protesters threatened to go on the rampage if the accused officers were granted bail.
Police were deployed in large numbers to monitor the crowd.
On April 13, police allegedly fired rubber bullets into Tatane's chest and then beat him with batons during a service delivery protest in the Meqheleng township.
He was seen holding his hand against his chest after the assault and collapsed about 20 minutes later. He died before an ambulance arrived.
His death was broadcast on national television and widely condemned. - Sapa