In South Africa, there has been a media frenzy regarding court cases especially criminal judgments leading to the incarceration of criminals. The public reaction to the criminal judgments breathes positive and negative responses through social media. It is apparent that one case may bring public relief whereas other cases may frustrate the public. Court cases involving the infamous President Jacob Zuma, with a tainted history inter alia, rape charges to corruption to non-compliance with the public protector’s Nkandla report, which has certainly created public displeasure. The repugnant ongoing scent of corruption does not end with the President but is spread like a contagious disease throughout South Africa from white collar crime to blue collar crime. The Dewani case facts were perceived as an elaborate wedding between two opulent families to a murderous honeymoon in South Africa. South Africa became infamous as an ideal background to commit brutal crimes. It is apparent that South Africa is a world renown country that is dangerous in epic proportions, deterring foreigners as holiday makers and encouraging the brain drain of South Africans to immigrate to other promising first world countries with the promise of a better and safer future for the family. This paper will illustrate that the public openly critiques the justice system and exposes the corruption that has polluted the country and the role of punitive populism, which eases the frustration of the public in relation to a country ridiculed and plagued with crime.

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