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Lourensa Eckard has worked as a journalist in South Africa for more than a decade. She is the host of In Gesprek met Lourensa Eckard, a premium television news program on kykNET. In May 2023, she joined the Carte Blanche team as a presenter.
She started her career at Beeld newspaper as a general reporter and has since seen many a courtroom and crime scene. Internationally she covered the devastation caused by typhoon Yolanda in 2013, the floods in Malawi in 2015, and the presidential election in Zimbabwe in 2018.
She has won an ATKV-Mediaveertjie and was nominated for a South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA) in 2022 as best television presenter. Eckard also regularly contributes in-depth articles and opinion pieces to Rapport and Beeld.
She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Pretoria and a postgraduate degree from the University of Stellenbosch and is currently doing a Master’s Degree in Governance and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her hobbies include trail running and she has completed the Skyrun 100km and the ultra-trail Cape Town 100 km.
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The stories behind the stories"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.
Nuclear miracles𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.
What do you think of when you hear the word “nuclear”? The iconic mushroom clouds of an atomic explosion? The devastating fallout from Chernobyl or Fukushima? Well, a group of local scientists wants you to see nuclear differently: a way to save lives. The team based at Pelindaba in the North West is at the cutting edge of research that’s promising great results in the treatment of advanced cancer. Carte Blanche takes a tour behind the scenes.
Stellenbosch student abductions𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.
It’s a summer night in peaceful, picturesque Stellenbosch and students are taking to the streets to party with their friends. But beneath the surface of this typical weekend scene, danger lurks. A group of girls walking home together realise that a car is following them. A couple taking in the view at the nearby Franschhoek Pass are bundled into the back of a car. Hours later, parents receive a frightening demand: money, or we kill your son. From muggings to abductions, violent crime in Stellenbosch is on the rise. What will it take to protect students?
Snotklap𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟭 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.
In a packed bar, two men face each other across a small table. To the cheers of the crowd, one lines up... then slaps his opponent with all his might across the cheek. No, this is not a bar fight. It's professional slap fighting and it's experiencing a massive surge in popularity. Emerging as a viral phenomenon in Russia in 2019, slap fighting is attracting former wrestlers and boxers like South African heavyweight Danie "Pitbull” van Heerden. But it's as controversial as it is compelling. Repeated blows to the head can cause concussion, traumatic brain injury and long-term neurological issues. Fans claim slap fighting is safer than many combat sports, but critics say it's unavoidably risky – and question whether it can be considered a sport at all.
Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
A predator's grip𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟴 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.
Derek Bezuidenhout was a gymnastics coach popular with his colleagues and students. But for ten years, Bezuidenhout allegedly physically, sexually and emotionally abused multiple gymnasts at a club in the Free State. When his alleged crimes were uncovered, he took his own life. Red flags about Bezuidenhout’s conduct started early in his career but no one believed the children, and the club failed to investigate the allegations. Now, several of Bezuidenhout’s victims are speaking out about the predator who groomed and targeted them for years while the club and the Gymnastics Federation allegedly stood idle. Carte Blanche investigates why Bezuidenhout’s alleged abuse was permitted to continue for so long.
Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
Granny Grommets𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟳 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.
It’s an early Friday morning on Nahoon Beach in the Eastern Cape, and Susan Matthee and her best friend, Riana Swanepoel, are stepping outside their normal routine. Stripping off their vintage jewellery and silk scarves, Susan and Riana don their wetsuits and strap boogie boards to their wrists to catch the morning wave. And they aren’t alone. They belong to a group of dozens of women – all over 50 – who aren’t content with settling into stereotypical hobbies for the elderly. Looking for a little action and excitement, they’ve committed themselves to doing something out-of-the-box in their twilight years. They call themselves the Granny Grommets: elderly amateur boogie boarders with a taste for adventure. Carte Blanche caught some waves with these senior citizens.
Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
Limpopo bus tragedy: Broken barriers𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟯 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.
In Molepolole, the largest village in Botswana, 44 identical graves lie side-by-side in the community cemetery. The burial site stands as a memorial for the scores of people killed in a horrific bus crash across the border in South Africa. Just days before the start of the Easter celebrations, busloads of worshippers travelled from across Southern Africa to Moria in Limpopo for the annual ZCC pilgrimage. But these Batswana pilgrims and their bus driver never made it to the sacred place of worship. Instead, the speeding bus plunged over the bridge on the Mmamatlakala Pass. There was just one survivor – an eight-year-old girl who escaped with just minor injuries. But what really happened on the bridge? This dangerous hairpin bend on the R518 has become notorious for serious accidents and, while the authorities have suggested speeding as the primary cause of the crash, could something else have contributed to the tragic outcome? Now, Carte Blanche examines the state of the barriers before the accident on Maundy Thursday.
Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
Educor: College chaos𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟰 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.
Educor once stood as a monument of hope for thousands of students looking for an affordable and reputable education at a private college. With scores of campuses around the country, it was the largest private education supplier in Southern Africa and, for several years, it earned itself a good reputation. But in recent years, Educor has become notorious for poor quality education and non-compliance with government regulations. In February this year, the Department of Higher Education finally deregistered the company, sending students and educators into a spiral. Despite several deadline extensions, Educor had failed to submit crucial financial records and tax clearance certificates, leaving the Department with no choice but to shut it down. For many critics, this was a long time coming – but students are left in limbo.
Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
UPDATE: Daniel Pienaar Rally SchoolLast year, the Daniel Pienaar Technical School in the Eastern Cape had all of us talking. Not content with offering traditional sports and activities to its pupils, it added something far more unique to its extra-mural programme: motorsport. Now, Daniel Pienaar has been recognised internationally for this innovation.
Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
Bird flu𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟱 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯.
A deadly outbreak of avian flu has left South Africa’s poultry industry on the brink of disaster. With millions of chickens being culled, grocery stores are forced to ration meat and egg sales while the government imports eggs and meat to mitigate shortages over the festive season. But there is more than Christmas dinner at stake: some experts say the impact of the virus has been so devastating, it will take the industry 18 months to recover. And there’s a human face to the crisis, with thousands of jobs on the line, and some smaller independent suppliers facing financial ruin.
Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
Rally rookiesDaniel Pienaar Technical School in Kariega in the Eastern Cape has a proud history as the oldest technical school in the country. And it’s no ordinary school. Set in a small town that’s home to South Africa’s biggest motor manufacturing plant, Daniel Pienaar’s pupils are living their dreams against a backdrop of roaring engines and customised cars. The school is the only one in the country - and one of only three in the world - offering motorsport as an extracurricular activity. It even even boasts its own 4km racetrack and a professional rally team. But it’s not just the boys trading their books for big engines: girls are getting in on the action, too. Carte Blanche takes a high-speed spin on the circuit.
Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
Joburg undermined𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟱 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯.
In the barren landscape of Joburg's artisanal mining underworld, we explore the shafts and sewers where, slowly but surely, zama zamas are encroaching on the city’s critical infrastructure. From makeshift bush kitchens to perilous underground tunnels excavated in search of gold, we reveal the harsh reality of their lives. These illegal miners are eking out a living underneath the City of Gold. But at what cost? As environmental decay and armed violence take their toll on Johannesburg, Carte Blanche heads underground and emerges with a disturbing answer.
Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
Runner’s rage𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯.
On the running calendar, the Comrades Marathon is the toughest race on earth. Local and international competitors train for months, sometimes even years, for the opportunity to complete the brutal 89 km run. For the last-place finishers, the medal is priceless: confirmation that they’ve completed the race before the 12-hour cut-off time. But this year, something went horribly wrong and hundreds of runners were cut off “too soon”. In fact, there were hardly any runners near the finish line when the gun went off at the 12-hour mark, leaving the field uncharacteristically empty. With runners crying foul, claiming they’ve been unfairly deprived of their hard-earned medals, what went wrong?
Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
Nightmare nightclub𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟴 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯.
A young man is dragged from a club into a dark alley, barely responsive, his pants soaked with blood. Metres away, a group of men gathers – one of them, allegedly the owner of the well-known nightclub in Pretoria; another, his bouncer. Moments later, they re-enter the club. None of them helps the bleeding man. It’s a distressing scene, caught on CCTV and it may reveal how this notorious nightclub does business. With a reputation for violent bouncers and underage drinking, it seems that behind the club's glittering façade lurk hidden dangers for young people looking for a good time.
Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
The gift of giving𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟭 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯.
In a nondescript warehouse in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, volunteers are hard at work, organising, packing and getting thousands of donations ready for shipment to countries in need of assistance. This is the machine behind the South African disaster relief organisation, Gift of the Givers - brainchild of the legendary Dr Imtiaz Sooliman. He’s built his foundation into the pride of a nation, assisting not only South Africans but the victims of natural and man-made disasters around the world. But who is the real Dr Sooliman? What has his experience as a “disaster tourist” taught him about humanity? And what lessons does he have for his own country, one flirting with calamity? A man of deep faith and limitless empathy, Dr Sooliman offers us a privileged glimpse of the man behind the public persona.
Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv
Stellenbosch police failures
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Lourensa Eckard
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