“Sometimes, there are stories we cover that so enrage our editorial team that it’s hard to maintain a sense of balance (not that one is always required, or even desirable). Sunday’s exposé of the conditions at Ikwezi Lokusa is a case in point. The footage of young children with special needs being left to fend for themselves amid grime and decay is nothing less than outrageous and a blight on our country’s names. Perhaps now, after yet another visit, things will finally change.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
EXTENDED 90-MINUTE EPISODE
Egregious Failings
It was once a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the care of children with disabilities and a beacon of hope in the Eastern Cape. For decades, Ikwezi Lokusa was operated by missionary sisters. But in 2001, government took over and soon afterwards its troubles began. In 2018, Carte Blanche investigated the boarding school and uncovered how the infrastructure had deteriorated, leaving children to sleep on brick beds with only a thin mattress for comfort. A critical shortage of caregivers often left vulnerable special needs children with no one to feed them or change their nappies for hours on end. Back then, the Department of Education made big promises to help the children; but as we return to the school five years later, very little has changed. More caregivers have been employed, but they frequently abandon the children, who continue to suffer hardship and neglect. Carte Blanche investigates.
Producer: Tarryn Crossman | Presenter: Govan Whittles
The First Suspect
It has resonated across South Africa for years: the 2014 murder of Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa in his girlfriend’s house in Vosloorus. This week, the pathologist who examined Meyiwa’s lifeless body detailed the last moments of the popular soccer player’s life. But the shooting didn’t just end Meyiwa’s life: it forever changed the life of another young man from the community. Days after the brutal killing, police rounded up Zamo Mbatha, the first suspect in Meyiwa’s murder. Mbatha was detained for two weeks before the court abruptly ordered his release; police did not have enough evidence to link him to the case. But it was too late for Mbatha. With many still believing that he was Meyiwa’s killer, his life was altered. Ten years later, as five other men stand trial for Meyiwa’s murder, Mbatha’s multi-million rand lawsuit against the police has come to a standstill. Carte Blanche examines how his wrongful arrest as the first suspect shattered his world.
Producer: Ntokozo Sindane | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
Butterflies vs Cartels
In the forests of northeastern Michoacán state in Mexico, the migration of the monarch butterfly occurs each year. It’s a natural wonder which draws tourists from around the globe. But as drug cartels vie for control over the avocado trade, illegal forest clearance threatens the micro-climate on which the monarch butterflies depend. The cartels have been using violent means to establish control of the land, including kidnapping and extortion. But they aren’t the only threat to the butterflies: climate change and herbicide use are also responsible for the monarchs’ dwindling numbers. Now the fight to protect the butterfly forests is on, but can authorities win against the country’s drug cartels?
Producer: SBS Australia
CARTE BLANCHE: THE PODCAST
New Kids on the Bloc…
It was all eyes on BRICS – so what’s in it for us? Then, we look at recent extreme climate events and ask: how prepared is SA government? Then, a much-needed positive development in the Zuko Nonxuba matter. And we pay tribute to Derek Watts.
Farmer Piet
What does a retired prison warder, a house mother and pastor have in common? They all landed in the clutches of a notorious local scamster. We’re on the trail of a well-known Eastern Cape farmer who duped scores of victims out of their pensions.
PICKS OF THE WEEK
Derek Watts: A Special Tribute
The Carte Blanche family stands together to pay tribute to our beloved colleague and friend, Derek Watts. Derek was a remarkable man, fearless in the pursuit of justice. He was a beacon for the forgotten and downtrodden, and a steadying hand amid chaos and anxiety. He embodied the ideal, “umntu ngumntu, ngabantu” (I am because you are), connecting with people from all walks of life and treating each with dignity and respect.
Underground Astronauts
In the space industry, astronauts are vaunted as the ultimate explorers of the universe, rising far above the earth. But in the depths of the remote underground caves beneath the Cradle of Humankind, Dr Marina Elliot and Dr Keneiloe Molopyane are the extraordinary “Underground Astronauts,” embarking on a courageous quest to uncover and study hominid fossils that have remained undisturbed for centuries. Their mission is simple: to boldly go where few have ever dared to go. And to date, they’ve had great success. Their groundbreaking discoveries challenge conventional beliefs about our evolutionary journey and shed light on the remarkable species known as Homo naledi. Carte Blanche meets the courageous paleoanthropologists unearthing the human story long preserved in rock and bone.
Celebrating Women with Dr Bones
In August 2023, we met Dr Keneiloe Molopyane as we headed down the Rising Star Cave in search of pieces of human history. An archaeologist and biological anthropologist, Dr Molopyane has been one of about 48 people to have entered the Dinaledi Chamber – a section of the cave where fossils belonging to at least 15 hominins believed to have been intentionally placed there as part of a ritual. Masa Kekana chatted to “Dr Bones” about paving the way for other aspiring female archaeologists, being an underground astronaut, and making discoveries that could alter the way we view human evolution.
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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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