“Stories about the economy are challenging. Get them wrong, and the content can be dryer than an August afternoon on the Highveld. But chip away the complexities of tariffs and trade deficits, and what you’re left with are narratives we think we’re pretty good at: stories about people doing the best they can to survive circumstances not of their own making.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
Tariff Tit for Tat
South African economists, exporters and the battered Rand are suffering from whiplash. In just weeks, United States President Donald Trump has imposed steep levies on goods exported from South Africa to America – only to pause those tariffs in favour of a blanket 10% tax. It seems safe to say that, while US tariff policy is a moving target, Trump is determined to end our special access to United States markets. What does this mean for industries like our multi-billion rand citrus industry, the second largest in the world? As the harvest comes in, farmers battle uncertainty and experts warn that Trump could send the world’s economy into a doom spiral.
Producer: Liz Fish | Presenters: Masa Kekana & Erin Bates
Majestic Menace
Botswana has more elephants than any other country on the planet. In just 30 years, the population has doubled to around 130 000 – and Botswana’s tourist economy is reaping the benefits. But while safari companies boom, communities are growing desperate. In some parts of the country, elephants outnumber people by two to one: close contact with humans is inevitable, and chaos – even tragedy – follows. As elephants destroy crops and infrastructure, threatening livelihoods and safety, anger spikes and opinions are polarised. This special report asks: are Botswana’s elephants a conservation triumph or a deadly pest? And who is paying the real price for their return?
Producer: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
COMING SOON!
Air Traffic Chaos
There’s a crisis unfolding inside the agency that’s mandated to keep air flight safe. As highly skilled air traffic controllers leave the industry in droves, we ask: what is the cost to commercial airlines and their passengers?
NEWS & VIEWS
Scar on the Mountain Halted
A major win in the fight against a luxury housing development on the slopes of Botmaskop in Stellenbosch. This after the Western Cape High Court ordered that all construction work be halted pending further review.
In November 2024, the Stellenbosch Interest Group (SIG) filed an application against the Stellenbosch Municipality, the Botmaskop Homeowners’ Association and the developers of the Botmaskop Fynbos Estate to prevent any further development on the 77-unit residential project.
In its filing, SIG argued that the estate could have “catastrophic consequences” for the local ecosystem. Known for its natural beauty, the ecologically sensitive area is home to a number of threatened plant species.
In October last year, we visited the area and followed a lengthy paper trail to find out how the project was originally approved. You can revisit that story now on the Carte Blanche website.
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