“I’ve watched quite a lot of elite netball and, I confess, I find it a little daft. Whoever concocted a sport that confines players to specific parts of the court, unable to move once they’ve caught the ball, was either drunk or a sadist. And, you know what? Hats off to them, because it’s utterly absorbing in all its shambolic, nonsensical glory. And how wonderful that, like so many other sports in this beautiful but tormented country, it’s being used to drive positive change.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
Tourists Under Siege
It is a city at the heart of the Wild Coast: a thoroughfare for tourists seeking out not only Mandela’s birthplace but the region’s kilometres of pristine beaches and its opportunities for wild adventure. It’s the last stop for food and fuel before travellers go off the beaten track. But it is also the most dangerous city in the Eastern Cape. In these parts, vulnerable tourists stick out and criminals are cashing in. Con artists use subterfuge and confusion to dupe tourists into withdrawing thousands of rands from ATMs around Mthatha. It’s a clever ruse that the visitors often don’t even see coming.
Producer: Tarryn Crossman | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
Bested by Bester
Serial rapist and murderer, Thabo Bester was thrust into the spotlight late last year as it emerged that the notorious criminal had allegedly died in a horrific fire in prison. But this story took a bizarre turn when, just weeks later, Bester was photographed – alive and well – at a grocery store in Johannesburg. It took a team of investigative journalists to finally uncover how the murderer had strolled out of prison in a brazen escape. A manhunt for him and his lover, Nandipha Magudumana ended with the two being hauled back to South Africa from Tanzania. Now, as Bester awaits trial for numerous crimes related to the escape, Carte Blanche examines how he went from being a charming schoolboy to a ruthless killer.
Producer: Busisiwe Gumede-Chizhanje | Presenter: Claire Mawisa
Shooting for Success
Delareyville in the North West is one of the most forgotten towns in the country. It’s a community beset with teenage pregnancy and drug abuse, where young girls fall prey to devious predators. But one woman is determined to change that by building a generation of confident and resilient young women. And she’s using a popular school sport to do it. As the Netball World Cup draws near, Carte Blanche examines how Grace Tshiping is using netball to empower girls and take them off the streets.
Producer: Floris Kotze | Presenter: Claire Mawisa
CARTE BLANCHE: THE PODCAST
The Wagner Group and Beyond
What the Wagner Group’s Russian rebellion means for Africa. The latest unemployment figures are out and things are not looking good. And not one but two positive stories to get you ready for the week ahead.
Un-welfare
They’re the backbone of the social care system that Gauteng’s most vulnerable people have come to rely on. But what happens when a shift in policy suddenly threatens to reduce the very funding that NGOs need to provide care?
PICKS OF THE WEEK
Runner’s Rage
On the running calendar, the Comrades Marathon is the toughest race on earth. Local and international competitors train for months, sometimes even years, for the opportunity to complete the brutal 89 km run. For the last-place finishers, the medal is priceless: confirmation that they’ve completed the race before the 12-hour cut-off time. But this year, something went horribly wrong and hundreds of runners were cut off “too soon”. In fact, there were hardly any runners near the finish line when the gun went off at the 12-hour mark, leaving the field uncharacteristically empty. With runners crying foul, claiming they’ve been unfairly deprived of their hard-earned medals, what went wrong?
Making a Difference with Lexus Pop Classics
This year, music lovers will have the opportunity to support a great cause – the Carte Blanche Making A Difference Trust. For a minimum contribution of R100, you can get up to four tickets with all proceeds going to the Trust.
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Please note: Carte Blanche line-ups are subject to change. Stories can be viewed at www.carteblanche.co.za
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