“It was, as I recall, a quiet weekend afternoon. I was in my teens, watching TV; my brother, six years older, was messing around with our future brother-in-law’s old Toyota sedan. For reasons that remain sketchy, he thought it wise to jump behind the wheel and drive it around the house, weaving between my father’s meticulous flower beds. ‘Round and ’round he went, gathering speed with every sweep past the living room window. From the corner of my eye, I remember his inane grin as he yanked the steering wheel first this way, then that. I remember, too, the disappointment of not having been witness to his sudden, involuntary halt as he careered into the patio. How different his early twenties might have been had his school offered motoring as an extramural.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
Canada on Fire
Canada is in the grip of the worst forest fires in recorded history. Tens of thousands of people in British Columbia were evacuated as the government deployed its armed forces to deal with the crisis. As Canadian laddermen and smoke jumpers battled massive infernos on multiple fronts, a South African team of firefighters flew in to provide much-needed support. But as the fires become more frequent and last longer, the situation has become desperate. In a country better known for snow and ice, coping with this fire catastrophe is taking its toll.
Producer: ABC Australia
Taxi Strike: The Aftermath
In August this year, a week-long taxi strike in Cape Town left a trail of destruction. Six people were killed and millions of rands of damage was done to public and private property. At the centre of the stand-off was a demand that taxi impoundments should be limited and thousands of confiscated vehicles released. Chaos and violence spilled onto the streets and, for eight days, commuters were stranded and local businesses put at risk. But despite taxi bosses pushing hard to force the city to loosen its iron grip on the industry, officials held firm. Now, the precarious truce between the City of Cape Town on one hand and the taxi industry on the other masks the deep suspicion with which they view each other.
Producer: Marion Edmunds | Presenter: Erin Bates
EXTRA: Taxi Turmoil with Andre Vlok
Ever since another taxi strike erupted on the streets of Cape Town in August, negotiations between City of Cape Town officials and taxi industry representative body, SANTACO, have been ongoing. Insiders say discussions have been fraught as both sides thrash out the finer points of an agreement that would not only protect commuters, but ensure there’s a mutual understanding between officials, taxi drivers and operators. We caught up with conflict resolution specialist, Andre Vlok, to find out where previous negotiations most likely fell apart, and get his views on possible long-term solutions.
Rally Rookies
Daniel Pienaar Technical School in Kariega in the Eastern Cape has a proud history as the oldest technical school in the country. And it’s no ordinary school. Set in a small town that’s home to South Africa’s biggest motor manufacturing plant, Daniel Pienaar’s pupils are living their dreams against a backdrop of roaring engines and customised cars. The school is the only one in the country – and one of only three in the world – offering motorsport as an extracurricular activity. It even even boasts its own 4km racetrack and a professional rally team. But it’s not just the boys trading their books for big engines: girls are getting in on the action, too. Carte Blanche takes a high-speed spin on the circuit.
Producer: Floris Kotze | Presenter: Lourensa Eckard
CARTE BLANCHE: THE PODCAST
Metro Meltdowns
National Treasury wants to tighten the purse strings and not everyone is keen on the idea. A civil servant strike has the City of Tshwane on its knees, while other metros across the country are teetering on the edge. Then, we celebrate the Rugby World Cup gees and look at ways to fix the country.
Whistleblower House
Taking the courageous – and possibly dangerous – step of blowing the whistle on fraud and corruption has just become a lot easier. Meet the heroes of Whistleblower House where safety and support have found a new address.
THE FULL INVESTIGATION
Justice Prevails
In the Eastern Cape, well-known lawyer, Zuko Nonxuba allegedly defrauded his young clients: children living with disabilities. But despite him operating for years, the organisation that ensures lawyers fulfil their mandate failed to stop him.
PART 1: Stealing from the Disabled
In December 2015, investigative journalist, Sabelo Skiti, stumbled upon a story about a well-known lawyer in the Eastern Cape claiming to be fighting the good fight for children born with disabilities in the province’s poorer communities. He was helping them take the Department of Health to court for medical negligence with the multi-million-rand pay-outs offering a chance of a better life. Trouble was the lawyer was stealing the money meant for the mostly semi-literate mothers of children living with cerebral palsy. Greedy and unrepentant, he exploited their desperation without ever intending for them to see a cent of their pay-outs. Skiti’s story prompted the Special Investigating Unit to take a closer look and yet, seven years later, the rogue lawyer continues to slither from their clutches. Carte Blanche investigates.
PART 2: Finding Zuko Nonxuba
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 Practice 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?
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