WORLD WIDE WEBB
“The Karoo is endlessly fascinating. From drought and locust infestations to art galleries and gin distilleries, it is both blighted and blessed. How wonderful, then, to bring our viewers another inspiring story from this most unusual and unexpected of places.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
Dumped – Police Dogs
Police dogs once had a bad reputation as a brutal symbol of the old apartheid regime, often unleashed on people fighting for their human rights. But in the new South Africa, these animals, with their specialised crime-combatting and search-and-rescue skills, have endeared themselves to the public. They’re bred as valuable, highly trained assets for the police service. Earlier this year, a contract worth close to R26 million to purchase more dogs over the next three years was awarded to four contractors. But, controversially, 214 dogs were deemed untrainable and handed over to the NSPCA in September. A troubling development considering the massive shortage of dogs within the service. What is going on at the SAPS’s specialised K9 Unit? Carte Blanche investigates.
Producer: Liz Fish | Research: Sasha Schwendenwein | Presenter: Derek Watts
Gauteng Health in Flames
Eighteen months ago, a fire engulfed parts of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in Gauteng. Over 900 patients had to be urgently moved, and crucial medical services came to a grinding halt. Many of the 150 000 outpatients who had relied on the hospital had to wait months for treatment. Doctors pleaded with bungling officials to fix the hospital as a matter of urgency. Then this year, a leaked forensic report revealed that the blaze was an act of arson. But the fire at Charlotte Maxeke is just the latest in a series of controversies bedevilling Gauteng Health. Are these coincidental or is something more sinister at play? Carte Blanche investigates.
Producer: Joy Summers | Research: Sasha Schwendenwein | Presenter: Bongani Bingwa
Funeral Policies
Death is a growing business and South Africans are known to spare no expense when burying a loved one, with the average funeral costing about 13% of the annual average wage. It’s a massive cost, but with the promise of peace of mind and the opportunity to provide relatives with a dignified send-off, millions of South Africans are lining up for funeral policies. But what happens when a trusted funeral policy provider lets grieving relatives down in their time of need? Carte Blanche investigates a well-known service provider which has seemingly left its clients in the lurch.
Producer: Carte Blanche | Presenter: Masa Kekana
The Draadkar Grand Prix
It’s early November in a small town in the eastern Karoo. In the distance, screams from young children break the morning silence, as the thunder of running footsteps draws closer. Salvaged wire, tin-can tyres, and a mad dash through the streets of Philipstown in the Northern Cape. They call it the Draadkar Grand Prix: a mesmerising festival of Karoo culture and expertly hand-crafted wire cars “driven” by children of all ages. The event even has a place in the Guinness Book of Records. The prize? Local fame and absolute glory. Carte Blanche heads to the Karoo to experience this exhilarating spectacle.
Producer: Stenette Grosskopf | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
PICKS OF THE WEEK
One Night in Hillbrow
Overcrowded, restless, volatile. A neighbourhood where anything can happen, and life is cheap. But despite the grime and crime, people still stream into Hillbrow desperate for the promise of a better life that comes with big city life. Hillbrow-born and raised, Carte Blanche meets a guardian fighting to keep chaos and lawlessness at bay. With his invisible army of undercover informants and patrollers keeping an ear to the ground, he works to tip the odds in this dog-eat-dog suburb where buildings are hijacked and stripped bare, alcohol and violence flow freely, and drug addicts camp out on the streets. It’s a full-time job for a security company working to keep some spaces safe for the area’s residents and remaining businesses.
EXTRA: Kids Online with Carmen Murray
Whether your child wants to become an online star, or simply wishes to share content with close family and friends – the risks of an online presence is undeniable. But in a connected world, it’s near impossible to shield your child from social media. Digital analyst and content strategist, Carmen Murray, gives us a few tips on creating a safer online environment for the young ones.
Speaking Out
We speak to South Africans about equality, acceptance, owning your truth, and what still needs to be done to ensure the LGBTQI+ community enjoys the same basic human rights as envisioned in one of the most progressive Constitutions in the world.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Online Pet Scam
Are you looking to buy a purebred cat or dog? Well beware, hundreds of animal lovers worldwide are being lured into paying high prices for pedigreed pets online. The catch is these animals don’t exist – it’s just another scam operated by sophisticated scammers using proxy servers in Gauteng and it seems South Africans are easy targets. Carte Blanche investigates.
Forever Diamonds
With estimated returns of over 50 to 100%, a controversial Gauteng diamond dealer has lured a string of investors to buy into his dreams of selling Namaqualand diamonds at vast profits. Carte Blanche investigates how several unsuspecting South Africans, who invested millions into the mouth-watering scheme, were short-changed as the extravagant promises came to nought.
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
Youtube: carteblancheTV #CarteBlanche
TikTok: @carteblanchetv101
