Karl Kemp’s Why We Kill: Mob Justice and the New Vigilantism in South Africa delves into the unsettling rise of vigilante justice in South Africa.

Drawing on extensive research and interviews, Kemp explores the roots, realities and consequences of South Africa’s current crisis.

‘If you’ve ever wondered why South Africa is such a violent place, why we seem so obsessed with violence, and how we seemingly live surrounded by the potential for violence at all times, you should read this book,’ Kemp says.

‘South Africa’s murder rate has again broken records … what a lot of a people might not know is that we’ve had a concomitant increase in mob justice and vigilantism incidents. The question is: are these two facts necessarily connected? My new book is an exploration of this question.’

Following three recent cases of mob justice, from the hellish metropolitan townships of Gauteng to the far-flung bushveld of northern Limpopo, and drawing on extensive research and interviews, Why We Kill explores the roots, realities and consequences of South Africa’s current crisis of vigilantism.

Watch a video of the author outlining the ideas in his book:

Categories Non-fiction South Africa South African Current Affairs

Tags Karl Kemp Penguin Random House SA Videos Why We Kill