WORLD WIDE WEBB
“Environmental stories are a hard sell: they tend to appeal to a niche audience and often come across as self-righteous and indignant. Hardly ideal when the subject is Climate Change and the intention to convince sceptics and denialists about the urgency of the situation. We need to find unique and compelling ways of telling these stories to avoid preaching to the converted. In fact, to avoid preaching at all.”
~ John Webb, Executive Producer
The Fightback
Diligently leading a life of integrity: that’s how slain whistle-blower, Babita Deokaran, has been described by her family. According to her colleagues, these were characteristics she demonstrated on numerous occasions as Chief Director in Finance for the Gauteng Department of Health. For the Special Investigating Unit, looking into fraud and corruption inside the embattled provincial office, Deokaran was an invaluable asset who had cooperated in a decade-long investigation. But a year ago, Deokaran’s service to her country was cut short when she was brutally assassinated. Now, Carte Blanche pieces together some of the startling evidence that Deokaran uncovered.
Producer: Nicky Troll | Presenter: Masa Kekana
Medical Marvels
At just 21 years old, Dr Thakgalo Thibela cuts an unassuming figure in the dingy halls of Helen Joseph Hospital. Given her obvious youth, patients and families alike can be a little sceptical when first meeting her. But she is the doctor on call and, as she moves from ward to ward, Dr Thibela proudly shows off her medical skills. And she’s not alone. Around the country, young doctors – barely into adulthood – are entering the state healthcare service. Their mission: saving lives. The obstacles ahead are more than a little daunting, but they are equal to the task.
Producer: Ntokozo Sindane | Presenter: Claire Mawisa
Cable Theft Wars
Earlier this year, a team of security personnel working in Soweto was ambushed by a heavily armed gang. One guard was shot dead. A month later, two security guards were gunned down while escorting a City Power utility truck to a salvage yard in Johannesburg. The target: copper cables. Copper cable theft is evolving, with highly organised and well-armed thieves stopping at nothing to get their hands on this valuable commodity – including killing poorly resourced security guards tasked with protecting City Power and Eskom’s essential infrastructure.
Producer: Busisiwe Gumede-Chizhanje | Presenter: Masa Kekana
“A mate gave me a suite ticket to watch the second test between the Springboks and the All Blacks at Emirates Airline Park. Then I got a call from Carte Blanche on Friday: could I join the Gwijo Squad for the bus ride and sit in the first row at the stadium with them? Not always a great viewpoint, but it was such a vibe to join this inclusive supporter club – I even tried to sing some of the Xhosa war cries! They are doing a magic job of bringing all sports fans together, so no wonder they have the support of skipper Siya Kolisi who stopped to pay tribute to the Gwijos after the match!”
~ Derek Watts
Bringing the ‘Gees’
The stage was set: The Springbok A rugby side was facing a dangerous French Barbarians team at the spectacular Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban. It was billed as a clash of titans that would be played in front of an army of chanting spectators. But the stadium was empty… Alarmed, avid rugby supporter and patriot, Chulumanco Macingwane, made a few calls that would ultimately birth a new movement: the Gwijo Squad. The concept was simple: bring together a group of sports fans who would raise the roof at stadiums across the country. Now, almost a thousand strong, the Gwijo Squad is singing its way into the hearts of sports lovers.
Producer: Sinethemba Nogude | Presenter: Derek Watts
HEAR IT ALL
The Ultimate Price
A dedicated detective assassinated, a wife robbed of her husband… Complicity or neglect? How Lt-Col Charl Kinnear was abandoned by his police bosses at the height of his investigations.
Guns and Gangs
From the streets of Khayelitsha, to a tavern in Soweto – mass shootings in South Africa have become prevalent. But with illegal guns driving the violence, can law enforcement put an end to the carnage?
To Hell with Shell
It’s a monumental judgment that many environmental groups and fishing communities had hoped for – the granting of exploration rights along the Wild Coast to oil giant Shell has been deemed unlawful. So, what does this mean for other planned seismic surveys, and what’s next in this great David-versus-Goliath battle? Carte Blanche producer Siniketiwe Hlanze speaks to legal expert attorney Wilmien Wicomb about what it all means.
Watch It Again
Weaponizing the Police
Imagine getting arrested and sent to prison for something you didn’t do. That’s the horrifying fate of some remand detainees being held in South Africa’s most notorious maximum-security prisons. They say police are failing to properly investigate allegations before sending people to jail, with some landing behind bars after a single spurious complaint. For many, there’s no recourse. Are the police being used to settle personal scores? And could you be next? Carte Blanche investigates.
The War on Buses
Long-distance bus travel is a lucrative business in South Africa, with thousands of passengers transported across the country each day. But, in the Eastern Cape, regional roads are highly prized and, for some minibus taxi drivers, not for sharing. When buses “stray” onto their turf, the consequences are often violent, sometimes deadly. A Carte Blanche investigation lays bare the extreme hazards associated with bus travel, and discovers the problem extends into other provinces, too.
Please note: Carte Blanche line-ups are subject to change. Stories can be viewed at www.carteblanche.co.za
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