It takes a special sort of evil to really capture the imagination of the South African public.

We have developed a rather thick skin when it comes to such matters, which is sad in and of itself.

The crimes committed by members of the murderous occult known as the Krugersdorp Killers certainly grabbed headlines, and we covered it at length.

For an overview of sorts, you can watch this video, but I would suggest waiting until later this month for Devilsdorp, the first Showmax Original true-crime docuseries, which airs from July 29.

The four-part series is the result of 18 months of research, says director David Enright via the Showmax press release:

“This is the story of the events that rocked an entire community and forever changed the lives of those involved, especially the families of the victims. What started as a group of devout Christians trying to help a former satanist escape the satanic church ended in a murderous spree involving a killer mom, her two children, and a cult with more victims than members. It may all sound too far-fetched to be believed, except it really happened – just down the road from us.”

…Alongside extraordinary footage of exorcisms, church meetings, and trial testimonies and judgments, Devilsdorp features first-hand accounts from the likes of Captain Ben Booysen, the senior investigating officer; deputy director of Public Prosecutions Gerrit Roberts; Discovery claims specialist Shane Chatzkelowitz; and journalist Marizka Coetzer.

The family of the victims also share their stories, as do church members who knew the perpetrators.

Earlier today, the trailer was released:

Journalist Jana Marx, author of The Krugersdorp Cult Killings: Inside Cecilia’s Steyn’s Reign of Terror, narrates the series.

According to IdeaCandy producer Wim Steyn, “you may think you know this story but you don’t. This is one of those stories where things are seldom as they seem, and where the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

I’ll be marking July 29 down in the diary.