Rideshare Roulette: Watch Carte Blanche, this Sunday 23 May 2021 at 19:00, only on M-Net
Masa Kekana: “Being bombarded at the airport by multiple drivers is slightly intimidating, especially as a woman travelling alone. While there’s nothing wrong with taxi service drivers trying to get passengers, beware if they urge you to not use the official app.”
Rideshare Roulette
Legislation is pending at the federal level in the United States after a young woman was kidnapped and killed in 2019. The prominent case of Samantha Josephson (21), who had ordered an Uber but then got into a different car where the driver allegedly used childproof locks to prevent her from escaping, led to proposed legislation to improve protection for drivers and passengers. In South Africa, in April, Yolandi Botes (34) took a cab from the airport and was never seen again. Carte Blanche tracks the experiences of unsuspecting young women who mistakenly followed imposters posing as cab drivers but, once in the car, realised the danger.
Producer: Anina Peens | Presenter: Masa Kekana
J U S T I C E A L E R T
Lockdown Criminal Record for Life?
Last year, Carte Blanche reported on allegations of unwarranted brutality and violence when police arrested people for breaking COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Now, we revisit the dilemma of at least 400,000 South Africans arrested for offences ranging from not wearing masks to allegedly breaking curfew. Many spent time behind bars or paid hefty fines of up to R5000, and several, still, were let go with the option of signing an admission of guilt. At the time, it helped them not spend time in police custody. But in the long run, it’s saddled them with criminal records that are hampering life as they know it – with no indication from government on whether these might be expunged after the pandemic.
Producer: Busisiwe Gumede-Chizhanje | Presenter: Bongani Bingwa
Private Hospital Investigated
While private healthcare costs spiral ever higher, a hospital CEO from Pretoria made a protected disclosure alleging perverse incentives, over-servicing and recycling of single-use surgical items in a hospital owned by a group of doctors. Carte Blanche investigates what happened when the CEO accused his former employers of violating regulations of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) that prohibits doctors from participating in perverse incentive schemes as he was hauled before a disciplinary hearing. Is it a case of sour grapes from a disgruntled employee dismissed for serious improper conduct, or are the allegations of this former hospital CEO-turned-whistleblower being taken seriously?
Producer: Eugene Botha | Presenter: Claire Mawisa
M I N D O V E R I C Y M A T T E R
Amber Under Ice
Depression is a debilitating illness and the therapy that Amber Fillary (49) found in cold water has been a lifesaver. After spending most of her youth in and out of rehabilitation facilities, battling addiction and an eating disorder, Fillary has finally found the one place where she’s able to live in healthy harmony with herself and find mental wholeness – under the ice. Freezing waters beneath thick ice have become her place of peace and the source of fulfilment and achievement as she sets out to break one world record after another. Carte Blanche met Fillary in Cape Town after setting the record for the longest horizontal swim under ice on a single breath wearing just her costume and a pair of goggles. Currently waiting out Germany’s lockdown, she continues training for an underwater breath-hold Guinness World Record attempt in Egypt this coming November, as well as the men’s under-ice record at the end of February next year in Norway.
Producer: Annalise Lubbe | Presenter: Masa Kekana
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