Christopher McMichael is a writer based in Johannesburg and the author of Shoot to Kill: Police and Power in South Africa (Inkani Books, 2022).
The South African noir drama Reyka, nominated at the 2022 International Emmys, draws inspiration from real-life crimes. The series depicts a society in which the ruthless pursuit of money turns human life into the cheapest commodity of all.
The crisis of neoliberalism fuels social breakdown and a backlash from violent “anti-crime” vigilante groups. It’s a destructive, authoritarian vision of order that the Left can directly challenge.