“I have, by now, bored my work colleagues to tears with recollections of how Shaka Zulu was the only programme we were allowed to watch at boarding school. On a specific weekday night, they’d wheel a dusty 32-inch Telefunken into the dining room, and we’d gather around it to marvel at the courage and military nous of the king and his Impi. From what I’ve seen, boarding schools across the country should consider doing the same for Shaka iLembe.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
Who Monitors the Monitors?
In April this year, Carte Blanche investigated a lawyer from the Eastern Cape allegedly stealing millions of rands from children with cerebral palsy. Under the pretence of helping their mothers claim medical negligence damages from the Department of Health, he used their cases – and sometimes even fictitious ones – to claim the money and left the families with nothing. In the second leg of our investigation, we uncover how the lawyer‘s alleged malfeasance has been known about for years by the Legal Practitioners Council (LPC). The LPC is responsible for ensuring that legal representatives act in an ethical manner for the benefit of their clients. But time and again, it appears to have failed to stop this lawyer’s fraud. Just how far would he go to allegedly steal from vulnerable children? And why did the LPC apparently fail to act?
Producer: Tarryn Crossman | Presenter: Masa Kekana
Wheelspin
There’s nothing quite like the roar of a high-performance engine. Mustangs, Maseratis, Porsches and BMWs: an array of super luxury cars that most of us can only dream of owning. But what if there was a way to get the ride of your fantasies onto your driveway? A hundred and thirty victims of an elaborate Ponzi scheme thought they’d hit the jackpot when some of the world’s most luxurious car brands were offered to them for free as part of an elaborate scheme. Unfortunately, they’d been caught up in a scam. Carte Blanche investigates.
Producer: Hein Kaiser | Presenter: Masa Kekana
Shaka iLembe
He was born the illegitimate and unwanted son of the lesser-known chief of a small Zulu chiefdom. But as a young warrior, he gathered around him a group of eager tribesmen that he forged into one of the Zulu nation’s greatest armies. Highly skilled, clinical and ruthless, Shaka Zulu conquered many lands in his quest for power. A controversial leader, Shaka built the Zulu empire into an impenetrable fortress, before his brutal assassination by his half-brothers. The legend of Shaka Zulu has been told many times over and passed down from generation to generation. Now, the highly anticipated drama series, Shaka iLembe, brings the story of Africa’s most iconic monarch to the small screen. Set in the 1700s, and told by an African powerhouse in television broadcasting, Shaka iLembe is a compelling origins story that promises to captivate and divide audiences.
Producer: Nicky Troll | Presenter: Claire Mawisa
CARTE BLANCHE: THE PODCAST
Whose BRICS is it Anyway?
We chat about what BRICS actually means for SA. An assault on the dignity of LGBTQI+ people in Uganda and parts of the US. Good news on the State Capture front. And why AIDS vaccine development is giving us hope.
The Gift of Giving
He’s the man behind the Gift of the Givers, a superhero to many, and an inspiration to a country hoping for change. Tireless in his efforts, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman is saving lives, one disaster at a time.
PICKS OF THE WEEK
Lost Legacies
For over eight months, we investigated why some commercial farmers have lost all they owned. Why are some farmers saying they have been targeted by a ruthless liquidation mafia, acting in the name of the country’s Land Bank?
UPDATE: Fake Gynae
It’s a saga we’ve followed for years – a doctor in Cape Town once masquerading as a gynaecologist, to the detriment of his patients. Prior to our investigation, he had a chequered history, facing claims of professional misconduct and medical negligence. But it was our story in January 2020 – a follow-up to an earlier probe into his conduct – that laid bare the impact of his actions. A long-standing case of medical misconduct against him was finally concluded.
FULL STORY: Fake Gynae
He’s facing hundreds of charges for allegedly defrauding medical aid schemes and the Labour Department’s Compensation Fund. He’s also been struck off the role in the UK, and illegally worked at several private hospitals in South Africa. We then found him masquerading as a gynaecologist in Cape Town. Carte Blanche goes undercover for a consult with this dodgy doctor.
Manganese Road
Disease stalks the Kalahari… As scientists link the manganese mines that the region is built on to symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, we ask: is it profits before people in pursuit of the precious mineral? We follow the manganese road from Hotazel to Gqeberha.
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