Carte Blanche

Desperate and dying, more than 300 illegal miners spent months trapped in an abandoned mine shaft in Stilfontein in the North West in a prolonged and – for many – fatal standoff with authorities. Desperate families visited the site daily as letters and videos emerged from the depths, claiming that the miners were starving to death after police had stopped food supplies. Last week, the stalemate finally ended as 246 emaciated men and 78 bodies were pulled to the surface. These miners are just some of the thousands of zama zamas digging in and around old mines in Klerksdorp, Stilfontein and Orkney. As illegal mining continues to surge across the country, could more have been done to save the lives lost in this disaster? For the full story, get DStv Stream Premium: https://bit.ly/DStv-Stream

An estimated 4000 people are bitten by snakes every year in South Africa. For many, surviving the experience depends on getting quick access to antivenom. The consequences of not getting proper treatment can be deadly. And across the world,snake handlers depend on antivenom produced for African snake species exclusively in South Africa. But, for the past few years, supply has slowed to a trickle, and we wanted to know why. For the full story, get DStv Stream Premium: https://bit.ly/DStv-Stream

Every northern hemisphere winter, designers from around the world converge to help build Sweden’s famous Ice Hotel. It’s an iconic project - a temporary architectural masterpiece that’s sculpted using little more than ice and snow and built in the most unforgiving conditions. South African designer Corban Warrington was among the lucky few given the chance to showcase their extraordinary skills as they brought life to this iconic structure. For the full story, get DStv Stream Premium: https://bit.ly/DStv-Stream

Late last year, a series of violent crimes targeting students saw us undertake an investigation in the university town of Stellenbosch. Our time there came just days after the brutal murder of a young man cycling home from campus. The incident was the latest in a crime wave that included several violent abductions – some of them caught on CCTV cameras placed around the town. Despite that evidence, police investigations have left a lot to be desired and questions are also being asked of the university’s role in helping to keep students safe. After the latest murder, we returned to Stellenbosch to get answers from the university and the police. Sadly, neither seemed keen on facing our cameras. For the full story, get DStv Stream Premium: https://bit.ly/DStv-Stream

Komani, formerly known as Queenstown, in the Eastern Cape is a town we’ve visited many times before. For years, prolonged power and water outages have driven its frustrated residents onto the streets in protest. But sadly, it seems no one is paying attention. Komani's infrastructure continues to deteriorate. Since 2020, the municipality's Eskom debt has skyrocketed from R350 million to an eye-watering R1.4 billion. Most of what’s left of the municipality's money after salaries are paid is used to service debt, leaving very little for critical service delivery. And not even the most critically ill patients at the historic Frontier Provincial Hospital have been spared the impact. Get the full story now on DStv Stream Premium: https://bit.ly/DStv-Stream

"Good evening. This is Carte Blanche." You’ve heard the words a hundred times in your sitting room on a Sunday night, but have you ever wondered what happens when the cameras aren’t rolling? Well, you’re in luck! Because we’re about to give you a sneak peek into the story behind the stories. From the tension of investigating organised crime to the fluffed lines, or the high of being on a new adventure to making a plan when everything goes wrong. Meet the team that makes the Carte Blanche machine run and go off-script with us on some of 2024’s most iconic stories.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟳 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. On 21 October 2023 - as the Springboks beat England in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals in Paris - across the world on the coast of South Africa, an injured, barnacle-covered turtle washed up on Struisbaai beach. She was rescued by a local who contacted the Turtle Rescue Network. The turtle was in severe distress and some believed it wouldn’t be alive for much longer. Over several weeks, volunteers tried to save the turtle, which was also missing a flipper. But the frightened animal was resilient and within months, the team could see a substantial improvement in her health. Buoyed by her fighting spirit, the team aptly named her “Bokkie” in honour of the mighty Springboks.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟴 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In 2019, Shamila Batohi returned from The Hague to lead our National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). During the Zuma presidency, the once-proud NPA had been hollowed out by state capture; Batohi was a welcome appointment who promised to restore the organisation and ensure speedy convictions of state capture perpetrators. The same year, former prosecutor Hermione Cronje returned to head up the NPA's sharp end: the Investigating Directorate (ID) which would investigate, arrest and prosecute state capture and complex financial crimes. Batohi and Cronje: two powerful women with the same aim. But within two years, Cronje left for a second time. Since then, the NPA has made several high-profile arrests, but the progress on state capture cases is dismal, and crucial ones have been struck from the roll. Is the NPA still in crisis, despite angry denials from current leadership? Carte Blanche, in association with amaBhungane, looks at what has gone wrong at the National Prosecuting Authority. FULL DOCUMENTARY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2HakW03sLQ

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟴 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. On any given afternoon in the Botanical Gardens, visitors may spot one of Johannesburg’s rare sights. Sometimes it’s an Inca warrior or an Ottoman trader. But on really good days, it's a Crusader patrolling the forests. Gareth Sephton is a unique character with a passion for history, and he’s decided to literally put himself in the shoes of those who lived before us to experience what life was like in a bygone era. Gareth believes history is more than just memorising a string of facts: it’s a sensory experience, and he’s not afraid to immerse himself in the textures and tastes of any era. Dog walkers may be confused by his attire, but for children at a local primary school and the elderly at a nearby retirement home, Gareth teaches and entertains in equal measure. A delightful story about what might happen when you let your imagination run free.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. Since 2022, foreign nationals - especially Ethiopian businessmen - have been targeted by kidnappers in the Eastern Cape. Now it’s become an all-out war. In Qonce (formerly King William's Town), the community says at least two people are taken every week, with the kidnappers demanding ransom from their families. On the ground, informants and security experts say they’ve narrowed down the location of the kidnapping kingpins. They say that organised crime syndicates have taken root in the province and allege that police are involved. According to some insiders, these small-scale kidnappings provide much-needed capital for the syndicates to operate on a larger, more lucrative scale; targeting wealthy South African business owners. Carte Blanche investigates.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In Johannesburg’s inner city, there’s a wealth of knowledge waiting to be explored. Known as the Literary District, it’s the unlikely home to a treasure trove of books from some of the world’s best-known African and international authors. From one-of-a-kind collectables tucked away in the basement of the Rand Club, to second-hand paperback novels sold on the street - this area boasts more than 70 booksellers within an approximate one-kilometre radius. Former Agence France-Presse journalist Griffin Shea is one of them, and he has spent the past decade compiling a detailed map to help book lovers navigate the district. Carte Blanche explores the inner city’s surprising reading culture.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In late October, South African mother-of-four Lindie Jackson was enjoying an ordinary day in her new home city, Valencia in Spain. Then torrential rains and flooding hit the coastal city. It would become the deadliest flood in modern Spanish history, killing more than 220 people. Within minutes of receiving the flood alert warning, the streets had become submerged in fast-flowing muddy water. In every street, cars piled on top of each other, pavements were completely ripped up and debris was everywhere. For people like Lindie, the unfolding disaster was terrifying. Now, she shares the harrowing details, revealing governance failures as extreme weather conditions continue to batter cities around the world.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟵 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵. Research shows that as many as 90,000 girls between 12 and 17 years old in rural South Africa, are being forced into marriage with older men. Likening it to abduction and kidnapping, the Commission on Gender Equality says this should be outlawed, but the perpetrators argue that it’s an age old tradition. Carte Blanche investigates.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟴 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵. Banned in South Africa, Aldicarb is one of the deadliest agricultural pesticides ever produced and it’s capable of killing a grown man within minutes. Now after 40 dogs were poisoned in one suburb in just one day, security experts say an age-old crime trend is once again on the rise - your poisoned dog may be a vital clue that your home is now in the sights of house robbers. Carte Blanche investigates.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟯 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬. Trapped in a snare for several days without food or water and seriously injured, Khanyisa – a rare albino elephant calf didn’t stand a chance. At just six months old, her herd eventually abandoned her, leaving her to battle the elements alone. Now with a little help from some friends, she’s on the road to recovery. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟯 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬. They’re known as the Construction Mafia – community groups who demand a cut in building projects around the country, sometimes even resorting to violence and intimidation to get their way. From some form of employment, sub-contracting to their small businesses or, in some cases, straight-up cash – they say they’ll continue to hold construction sites to ransom until they receive their share. Carte Blanche investigates.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮. With two cases at home, and a steady climb in the numbers across multiple continents, mpox is on scientists’ radars globally. But what do South Africans need to know and do about this new outbreak? The National Institute of Communicable Diseases says this is the largest mpox outbreak, and the first to hit multiple countries at once, with the total number of cases worldwide approaching 5000 since May 2022. Carte Blanche investigates the symptoms, disease progression and treatment of this virus. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯𝟬 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬. Originally employed by the Dutch East India Company from the 1700s to plane wood for furniture and later the railways, very few of the Knysna woodcutters remain in the trade today. But we meet the exception – a woman who learned the craft from her father and took over driving the heavy-duty delivery trucks and feeding the ravenous sawmill when she was finally old enough to get a licence. Now she’s revived this dwindling artistry to contribute to what is considered to be the first African concert violin made from indigenous yellowwood. Carte Blanche gets a taste of the glorious warm tones. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟳 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵. In the grip of earth’s sixth mass extinction animals and insects are dying out at rates up to 1000 times the natural average. The destruction of a hundred species a year is driven by humans. Globally scientists are worried. Carte Blanche journeys to the nuclear exclusion zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine – the heart of what has been considered the most radioactive and chemically toxic hotspot in the world, where wildlife was all but wiped out 30 years ago. But in spite of life-threatening ionising radiation, Chernobyl's wildlife is thriving. We explore the lessons to be learned when man is removed from the equation. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟵 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬. In a time long before the coronavirus pandemic affected almost every country in the world, one South African family decided to take on the African continent. Travelling over 47 000 km and crossing through 29 countries – through harsh deserts, and war-torn regions, while fighting off crippling illness – this foursome spent six years living the adventure of a lifetime. And they did it in a small truck, powered entirely by vegetable oil. Carte Blanche met with this family as they returned from their journey. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv