For Meta or Worse: Watch Carte Blanche, this Sunday 17 April 2022 at 19:00, only on M-Net
WORLD WIDE WEBB
“While not in our line-up on Sunday, we’re compelled to reflect on the devastation and unfathomable loss of life following the floods in KwaZulu-Natal. That so many of the dead were school children only worsens the horror. Whether a freak event or the inevitable consequence of climate change are questions we’ll ponder in the coming days, but for now we join the rest of the country in expressing our deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
I N V E S T I G A T I O N S
Money or Your Fur Baby’s Life
It reads like a Hollywood blockbuster – pets go missing, and a well-intentioned stranger ostensibly picks them up. But the plot unravels as he turns nasty and demands a ransom for their safe return. Capitalising on South Africans’ dedication to their pets, a countrywide scam is manipulating pet-lovers’ into parting with their cash. But is the petnapping real or fake? And, if it’s real, what’s the best response? Carte Blanche engages the expertise of a hostage negotiator for some advice.
Producer: Kate Barry | Researchers: Kirsty Bucholz & Sinethemba Nogude | Presenter: Bongani Bingwa
When Mothers Kill
In eMalahleni in Mpumalanga, Zinhle Maditla is serving life in prison after killing her four children with poison-laced food. Thousands of kilometres away, in New Zealand, South Africa’s Dr Lauren Dickason is undergoing 18 months of psychiatric evaluation after strangling her three children with cable ties in October last year. As communities and families continue to mourn these inexplicable killings long after the headlines, Carte Blanche explores how support and forgiveness have grown alongside efforts to understand why these nurturers could commit the unthinkable.
Producer: Latashia Naidoo | Presenter: Claire Mawisa
The Jakkalsjagter
In the Northern Cape, jackals have very few natural predators and a steady supply of food from sheep farms across the province. But how do farmers protect their flocks, especially when the veld is lush, and jackal plentiful following recent rain? Carte Blanche explores the controversial practice of ‘varminting’ – the hunting of so-called problem animals on farms. While many see this as cruel and unnecessary, for the Jakkalsjagter it’s a matter of skill and pride as he maintains the last line of defence for some farmers.
Producer: Stenette Grosskopf | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
D I S C O V E R Y
Good Meta Best?
In the early days of the Internet, we had to wait patiently for images to load. Now, in Web3, we’re waiting for our avatar to pop into virtual 3D worlds. But this mega-internet infrastructure is growing and metaverses are sprouting faster than you can hit the refresh button. With billions of dollars at stake, Carte Blanche dips into virtual reality to meet South Africans leading the digital way – from virtual land development to online labour. Is unreality the new reality?
Producer: Sophia Phirippides | Presenter: Derek Watts
Please note: Carte Blanche line-ups are subject to change. Stories can be viewed at www.carteblanche.co.za
Facebook: Carte Blanche #CarteBlanche
Twitter: @carteblanchetv #CarteBlanche
Instagram: @carteblanchetv #CarteBlanche
