It’s not all bleak. Social media is replete with clips of interracial clean-up gatherings, and heartwarming anecdotes about cooperative anti-looter tactics. But spontaneously formed civilian militias are a few steps away from that slope which leads to vigilantism and ends up in new forms of crime. It is imperative that the state establishes authority and order in an open and fair way, but it remains to be seen whether it has either the capacity or the will to do so. If not, the cycle begins again, and further explosions of civil unrest can be expected.

Ian Jennings grew up in South Africa, studied in Germany, and teaches Politics and Philosophy at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland.

Image: Reuters