“Gibson Nzimande and I have something in common: we’re both graduates of the University of Johannesburg. That, though, is where the similarity ends. I left with a degree in politics and philosophy. In other words, the ability to think deep thoughts about being unemployed, as someone famous once said. I had a bit of money, a bed in a res, and a reasonably reliable VW Beetle. Gibson had none of that and, at the depths of his many challenges, had to study by the light of a petrol station forecourt. And, whereas I left university with what some cruelly – but not necessarily unreasonably – call a Bugger-All degree, Gibson is rising to the very pinnacle of academia. He deserves every ounce of the admiration I’m sure Sunday’s insert will generate.“ – John Webb, Executive Producer
Psychiatric Healthcare in Shambles
In the Northern Cape, government built what should’ve been a functional, modern, state-run mental healthcare facility. It was the long-awaited fulfilment of a promise to those in need of mental healthcare service in a province desperate for psychiatric facilities. But five years after it was finally opened, whistleblowers have come forward describing a facility that’s in urgent need of attention. And for once, a lack of funds isn’t the problem. Documents and images obtained by Carte Blanche show how the mismanagement of funds by the Northern Cape Department of Health and the hospital are eating away at the budget meant for vulnerable patients.
Producer: Jana Marx | Presenter: Erin Bates
Court in the Middle
In the Eastern Cape, a fierce battle is brewing in the legal fraternity. A highly contested report has recommended that the seat of the Eastern Cape High Court be moved from Makhanda – formerly known as Grahamstown – to the province’s capital city, Bhisho. It’s a move that many in Makhanda didn’t see coming, and residents believe it will turn the struggling community into a ghost town. Research suggests that if the move goes ahead, one-third of Makhanda’s businesses will lose so many customers that they’ll have to shut down, and the unemployment rate will skyrocket. So, why would government risk destroying this historical town? Carte Blanche investigates.
Producer: Kate Barry | Presenter: Masa Kekana | Research: Laura Byrne
Waste Picker to Graduate
On the streets of Johannesburg, waste pickers have become a familiar sight. They’re an army of recyclers, often homeless, who sort through the city’s growing rubbish piles. Their working conditions are harsh and living on the streets is brutal. But Gibson Nzimande, a young man with a lifelong dream to become a university professor, didn’t allow his dire circumstances to prevent him from reaching for two university degrees. He had nowhere to live but, with the help of a bursary to pay for his fees, he spent every night at a nearby petrol station studying to achieve qualifications that few South Africans can dream of, let alone afford.
Producer: Jabulile Mbatha | Presenter: Claire Mawisa
CARTE BLANCHE: THE PODCAST
Of Colleges and Coffee
A private education giant has fallen, leaving devastated students and parents in its wake. The ANC finds itself between a rock and a hard place as the National Speaker faces prison time. Later, we reflect on a few stories that made us question reality. And how an invasive plant is bringing hope to families in the Northern Cape.
PICKS OF THE WEEK
Shack City
One-room shacks made of paper-thin iron sheets… The City of Joburg is building shacks for people who have been displaced. But what looks like a cheaply built infrastructure has a multi-million rand price tag.
Gqeberha’s Gangs
It’s a metro under siege… Violent gangs have turned Nelson Mandela Bay upside down as desperate residents fear for their safety and their lives.
Fort Hare’s Hit List
It’s just after 4AM on a Friday morning in the Eastern Cape-town of Alice. Despite the hour in this usually quiet neighbourhood, a man casually emerges from the darkness, peaks over a high wall and fires three bullets. The target? The home of Fort Hare’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Sakhele Buhlungu. It’s an unnerving pretext to a murder just weeks later: the victim another senior official at the university. But the reign of terror doesn’t end there. In January this year, Professor Buhlungu’s bodyguard is gunned down in an official vehicle outside the VC’s home. Carte Blanche investigates a university, uncovering decades long fraud and corruption in the process.
UPDATE: Fort Hare Arrests
In January 2023, we reported on the sinister criminal network that had taken root at Fort Hare University in the Eastern Cape. Our story exposed the extent of the rot, including how those standing up to extensive corruption within the institution were being intimidated and even killed. Recently, the fightback being led by Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, received a major boost.
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