Murder Soars in South Africa; 3-Month Death Toll Higher Than in War Zones

JOHANNESBURG—The summer sun was setting over the sea of shacks in Diepsloot, a township north of South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg, on Dec 1. The mob took turns, hurling chunks of broken brick against the bodies and heads of five young men kneeling in the gravel, hands bound behind their backs. An old woman stepped up, wielding a wrought-iron bar, and striking one of the men accused of gang-raping a teenager across the top of his head. “Don’t kill them; don’t kill them! They must burn!” screamed another woman, her white t-shirt proclaiming “LOVE” in glittery pink cursive; her wild, wide eyes proclaiming raging hatred....