Jacaranda FM launches a true-crime podcast series – ‘To Catch A Serial Killer’

On Monday 13 September, Jacaranda FM will launch ‘To Catch a Serial Killer’ - a True Crime JacPod that unpacks former crime reporter Janine Lazarus’ recently launched true-crime memoir - ‘BAIT’. 

‘To Catch a Serial Killer’ draws on ‘Bait’ to vividly recreate the pre-digital news environment in which the Norwood Serial Killer was lured and caught. Janine was used by the police as a decoy to hunt the serial killer who terrorised women in northern Johannesburg.

“What makes this true-crime JacPod so novel is that it is set against a wonderful but volatile time in South Africa and speaks from an extremely personal point of view. Janine has covered many true-crime subjects, including the famous paedophile, Gert van Rooyen and his heinous deeds. She has serious clout and we want to offer our listeners the crème-of-the-crop in this genre. We’re thrilled to have Janine join us for this Jacaranda FM first,” says Deirdre King, Jacaranda FM Managing Director.

Episodes will include commentary from true crime experts such as Dr Gerard Labuschagne, former head of the SAPS psychiatric unit who spent four years doing a thesis on over 130 serial killers. Other episodes will take a look at the dark side of the human psyche and speak to media veterans about the bizarre newsrooms of the past.

‘To Catch a Serial Killer’ will be hosted by Jacaranda FM’s News Editor Marius van der Walt in a five-part series. Each episode will be around 30 minutes long and a new episode will be released weekly.

“Everywhere you turn, it seems there’s a new and wildly successful documentary, television series, and even parody of true-crime. Crime is always going to be interesting to people. It’s a collective obsession guided by something innate about the genre and its storytelling about real people, involved in real things. I can’t wait to bring the Jacaranda FM listeners into this world,” comments Janine Lazarus.

Would you like the opportunity to join us for an exclusive meet and greet with SA author Janine Lazarus as she launches her book “Bait: To Catch A Killer”?

Send an email with the subject line "Bait" to [email protected]. 

The first 10 people to mail us will be joining us on the 13th September at the Jacaranda Office in Midrand.