WORLD WIDE WEBB
“Naively, I believed there were some in society immune to the toxic pull of corruption. University administrators and lecturers, for example. Surely the people tasked with educating our young people wouldn’t betray their calling? Well, it seems the lure of undeserved riches is enticing enough to pollute even the intellectual mind. And worryingly, those who stand against it, are left to fight a lonely battle.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
Tiger on the Loose
She was an eight-year-old Bengal tiger named Sheba, hand-reared and loved. But tigers are apex predators, so when this fully-grown female escaped from her enclosure in the South of Johannesburg, locals panicked. Her owner, Rassie Erasmus, conscious of the danger she posed, was among them. As reports emerged of Sheba feasting on domestic animals, residents grew increasingly alarmed, fearing they may be next. It became clear to Erasmus what needed to be done: Sheba would have to be killed. It’s a story that enraged and baffled in equal measure. What explains government’s reluctance to ban the keeping of exotic cats as pets? And was her death the only possible solution? Carte Blanche investigates and discovers there may be more to this story than meets the eye (of the tiger).
Producer: Kate Barry | Research: Sasha Schwendenwein | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
Fort Hare Hit List
It’s just after 4AM on a Friday morning in the Eastern Cape-town of Alice. Despite the hour in this usually quiet neighbourhood, a man casually emerges from the darkness, peaks over a high wall and fires three bullets. The target? The home of Fort Hare’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Sakhele Buhlungu. It’s an unnerving pretext to a murder just weeks later: the victim another senior official at the university. But the reign of terror doesn’t end there. In January this year, Professor Buhlungu’s bodyguard is gunned down in an official vehicle outside the VC’s home. Carte Blanche investigates a university, uncovering decades long fraud and corruption in the process.
Producer: Sipha Kema | Presenter: Masa Kekana
Cheeky Bikers
Skinny van Schalkwyk is no ordinary woman… A self-declared “biker chick”, she bought her first motorbike – a pink Yamaha R6 – almost two decades ago and has never looked back. From track racing to epic adventure rides and stunts, Skinny lives for the roar of her bike’s engine and the freedom it brings. But she also has a deep love for the outdoors and, six years ago – together with her “sidekick” Chikita – started the annual “Anti-Pants, Anti-Poaching” bike rally. It’s an off-the-wall way of contributing to nature conservation. This year more than 200 trouserless bikers joined them in contributing much-needed cash to the protection of giraffe.
Producer: Stenette Grosskopf | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
CARTE BLANCHE: THE PODCAST
In this week’s episode of The WholeWeek Wrap with Daily Maverick, Ferial and Masa chat about loadshedding (what else?), the lawfare playing out between Ramaphosa and Zuma, and how young innovators hope to secure Africa’s food security.
Young Farmers
The pace of transformation in agriculture has been described as lacklustre. But a growing cohort of black farmers are making moves in the industry with minimal support from government or commercial banks.
PICKS OF THE WEEK
To Ban or Not to Ban
To ban or not to ban… Pit bulls have become known as some of the most vicious dogs in the country. As the number of attacks continue to rise, we investigate why the legislation regulating the breeding of these canines is lagging behind.
[FROM THE ARCHIVES] One Meal A Day
It’s a global obsession and controversial debate: what is the optimal diet required for human beings? How often and how much should we eat? Some say three meals a day are ideal, others say six smaller meals are better. One school of thought that’s seemingly gaining traction says the answer is far simpler. Carte Blanche asks: are human beings biologically programmed to thrive on only a single meal a day?
Decades of War
A decades-long war has turned innocent children into child soldiers. Not in the DRC or Sudan, but in Majola, Port St. Johns. Groomed to defend their homes and avenge loved ones lost in the terror, childhood friends and relatives have become sworn enemies. Homes have been torched, people hacked to pieces with pangas. Now, sleeping in the forests and mountains has become the norm for these Eastern Cape children, security and warm bed foreign concepts as they trek to safety under the cover of darkness. Carte Blanche investigates what lies behind this 50-year war between a cluster of villages… with no end in sight.
Please note: Carte Blanche line-ups are subject to change. Stories can be viewed at www.carteblanche.co.za
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