We often hear of witchcraft killings and satanic murders in South Africa. The brutal and bizarre capture our collective imagination and feed our fascination with the macabre. But is there really a wave of satanic murders in South Africa? And if so, to what extent is this phenomenon something unique – something we can separate from the violence that defines South African society more broadly? Is all the talk of occult murders just mass hysteria fed by conservative anxieties? Sound Africa finds out.

Sound Africa  is an independent South African podcast collective. The podcast above is part of our inaugural season, and we’re pleased to announce the imminent release of our second season, Nuclear SA, which will be published on the Daily Maverick website early in 2017. Visit  soundafrica.org  to find our more about us and support independent media in SA.