“Bafana Bafana’s decline has been startling. Once continental champions, our national soccer team are now global minnows. And at least part of the reason is that we simply haven’t produced enough world-class players. That might be stating the obvious, but in a country where the sport has a fanatical following and a competitive national league, it’s still baffling. How different our footballing fortunes might have been had the tens of millions earmarked for development been properly spent.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
Soccer’s Lost Legacy
In a village in Zeerust in the North West, 16-year-old Kutlwano Motswenyane plays soccer with his friends on a dusty field. He dreams of becoming an international football star. But with scarce resources in this community, his future is bleak. This shouldn’t be the case. In 2010, South Africa hosted the FIFA Soccer World Cup. The reward for its success was a R450-million cash injection to form a Legacy Trust Fund to support and develop the game. The Legacy Trust should’ve become South Africa’s soccer heritage but, more than a decade later, it’s been milked dry, providing no benefit to players like Kutlwano.
Producer: Sophia Phirippides | Presenter: Govan Whittles
Hammanskraal Cholera Horror
Politicians had piled into town. Outrage and pledges followed. But more than four months after the devastating cholera outbreak in May, the decades-long water crisis in Hammanskraal north of Pretoria persists. The source of May’s cholera outbreak remains unknown, compelling residents to fundraise for boreholes and cleaner water access. The President and other officials admitted their failure to protect the people. The municipality, supplying water via trucks that cost hundreds of millions of rands cannot guarantee their safety. In the midst of this ongoing crisis, a class action lawsuit is being launched against the government for its constitutional failures. Carte Blanche examines the enduring impact of the water crisis on families that contrasts sharply with the government’s response. As the Hammanskraal water crisis continues to affect the lives of its residents, the call for justice and clean water grows ever stronger.
Producer & Presenter: Masa Kekana
UPDATE: Tractor Tannie Triumph
A heartwarming story of determination, community support, and the triumph of dreams. We revisit the epic journey of a mother, her daughter Marconette’s big dream, and the family’s ancient tractor. Corné Els drove her family’s old Massey Ferguson tractor nearly 1500 km from Joburg to the Cape Winelands, raising R30,000 from supportive South Africans along the way to send Marconette to the Tug of War World Championships in Switzerland. Now, the travels and the competition behind her, Marconette reflects on the whirlwind of the last few months. We report back on this quirky venture that brought communities together in force.
CARTE BLANCHE: THE PODCAST
Implausible Deniability
Eskom sees less loadshedding in our future. But how optimistic should we be? The National State Enterprises Bill has ruffled a few feathers. So, what does it all mean? Markus Jooste says it wasn’t him. How plausible is his defence? President Ramaphosa’s dubious June peace mission to Ukraine and Russia is bearing fruit – sort of. And when it comes to loadshedding, a sense of humour will get you far. Just ask Trevor Noah.
Police Failures
Three children are murdered in South Africa every day. The most recent crime stats reveal that 293 children were murdered between April and June this year – a 20 percent increase. Shockingly, many of these cases are unresolved.
THE FULL INVESTIGATION
Taxi Strike: The Aftermath
During the deadly taxi strike, Philippi East – a crime-ridden suburb – was caught in the crossfire. Now, with a precarious truce struck between the City of Cape Town and taxi bosses, can this community move on?
PART 1: Taxi Strike
Amid a battle with the City of Cape Town, taxis in the Western Cape have suspended their services, leaving thousands of commuters stranded. So, who rules the roads?
Negotiation Tactics with Andre Vlok
We recently chatted to conflict resolution expert, Andre Vlok, about the fraught taxi negotiations in Cape Town. Has government’s approach worked, what needs to change, and how do we prevent similar taxi strike violence from erupting?
WATCH AGAIN: Blue Light Bullies
This story originally aired on 9 July 2023. It was an assault so vicious that it went viral on social media. But it wasn’t just the extreme violence that caused outrage, but also the identity of the attackers. Now, in the aftermath, questions are again being asked about the future of a specialised police unit.
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