Book excerpt: In the early 2000s, a few years after becoming a democracy, South Africa saw the rise of a white separatist militia known as the Boeremag. Convinced that their existence was under threat, they devised a coup and planted bombs across the country while evading the authorities. This book chronicles the longest running criminal trial in South African history, piecing together court transcripts and interviews through in-depth journalism to explore the dynamics and ideals at the source of the movement and the coup. A firsthand look is offered at the dark consequences of nationalism and populism.