WORLD WIDE WEBB
“I was the presenter assigned to the Phumeza Tisile story in 2015. Back then, I had no idea what cochlear implants were or just how life-changing they could be. What I knew of young Phumeza and the impact of her treatment for XDR-TB had come from the research notes provided by the producer. I was expecting a good story. A story about dedicated doctors and cutting-edge medical technology. A story like many of the others we had covered at Cape Town’s Tygerberg hospital. I was not expecting a story so deeply touching. A story about one of the most impressive young people I have ever had the privilege of meeting.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
Deadly Coal Run
Carnage and death stalk the coal road as drivers put profits before lives. War in Ukraine has caused a global energy crisis that has sent the coal price soaring and, with money to be made on coal transport contracts, mines and truckers are hurtling down the N2 between Pongola and Piet Retief. The Transnet rail system, long lost to sabotage and looting, puts pressure on truckers to make it to Richards Bay in record times. The crashes they cause are horrific, impacting the lives of communities along the way. Carte Blanche investigates the deadly toll amid a lack of visible policing.
Producer: Joy Summers | Presenter: Masa Kekana
Caravan Conundrum
Caravanning enthusiasts are loyal and fierce. Caravans form part of a great South African outdoors tradition in which annual holidays and open-road retirements are planned. But camping gadgets and mobile dreams don’t come cheap, so finding a reliable dealer is critical. Which is why the implosion of one of Cape Town’s most trusted one-stop caravan shops over the last year has left an avid caravanning community in disbelief. The cracks started showing when clients’ pricey vans were sold but the money never materialised. Carte Blanche speaks to an insider-turned-whistleblower who witnessed the suspicious money flows and outright tampering with vehicle identification numbers.
Producer: Liz Fish | Derek Watts
Durban Water Disaster
Sewage running down the streets, eventually ending up in the ocean. People are getting sick. Tourism is suffering. Carte Blanche goes undercover to expose the source of escalating contamination that’s causing fish kills and threatening Durban’s recovery from the crippling April floods and mudslides that killed 459 people. Excessively high E. coli counts have rendered many beaches off-limits, potentially crippling the region’s economy. In a tale of ageing infrastructure, limited resources, and lacklustre management, we expose the staggering lack of planning and foresight in this coastal city teetering on the edge.
Producer: Nicky Troll | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
Meatless Thingamajig
What makes a nugget a nugget, and do veggie patties still make a burger? Are consumers really confused about the names given to plant-based meat alternatives? Just as the South African market is starting to embrace the idea of eating less meat – whether to spare the environment, their bodies, or pockets – meat analogues that take the shape and flavour of meat but are made from plant-based proteins have attracted the attention of the Department of Agriculture. Its plan? To outlaw the labelling of items as sausages or patties if they don’t contain any meat. Carte Blanche investigates the devastating downstream consequences of this move on the meat analogue industry.
Producer: Stenette Grosskopf | Presenter: Derek Watts
PODCAST EXCLUSIVES
EXTRA! Formula 1 Dreams with Sasha Martinengo
South Africa has a rich motorsport history… East London hosted the SA Grand Prix from the 1930s to 1960s, then was moved to the Kyalami Circuit in Joburg. Now, decades later, could Formula 1 cars be zipping across local tracks again?
EXTRA! Deadly Coal Run with Masa Kekana
Fully laden coal trucks overtaking on double lines, non-stop carnage on the N2… We investigate the roots of a deadly coal rush that is costing lives. Where’s law enforcement that communities have long been pleading for?
Pick of the Week
Macfarlane Moleli reminds Madzivhandila College of Agriculture principal, Khathu Madau, that students’ futures are on the line.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Military Murder Mystery
A witness sees two men assaulted, kidnapped, possibly murdered. Why have two high-ranking suspects not been hauled on the carpet? We investigate a case of selective prosecution.
[FROM THE ARCHIVES] Killer Heart Gene
A witness sees two men assaulted, kidnapped, possibly murdered. Why have two high-ranking suspects not been hauled on the carpet? We investigate a case of selective prosecution.
Please note: Carte Blanche line-ups are subject to change. Stories can be viewed at www.carteblanche.co.za
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