“The producer of Sunday night’s story on Centurion’s sinkholes described it as being like a slice of pizza. The tomato and cheese represent areas at high risk of developing massive sinkholes, while the sprinkling of green herbs are the safe areas. It’s a frightening prospect when you consider just how much cheese and tomato are on a pizza. I’m sure the anxious residents of Centurion would much rather be living on a focaccia.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
Living on Cheese
Centurion: where a water or sewage leak can literally dissolve the ground beneath your feet. Add aging infrastructure and poor maintenance to a foundation of dolomite, and you’ve got a disaster unfolding in plain sight. There are currently 63 recorded sinkholes affecting hospitals, businesses and private homes – not to mention motorists and pedestrians. Property values are diving, home insurance won’t cover repairs, and residents are desperate. And with each sinkhole costing millions to repair, there is no quick fix. Carte Blanche takes a sinkhole safari to spot Centurion’s Big Five.
Producer: Kate Barry | Presenter: Lourensa Eckard
The Beauty Underground
In the flourishing world of unlicensed cosmetics, air hostesses and exotic dancers are performing illegal medical procedures with unauthorised products – at a fraction of the usual cost. But what sounds too good to be true usually is. Counterfeit, non-medical grade products can cause infection, allergic reactions and long-term complications. As unregistered, untrained injectors flood social media to advertise their services, thousands of customers are signing up. Can anything be done to hold them to account?
Producer: Latashia Naidoo | Presenter: Lourensa Eckard
The Rhino Whisperer
For eight months, he lived among the giants. When Justin Terblanche saw poachers reduce a crash of nineteen rhino to just four in the space of a few years, he couldn’t stand by – so he took action. From all-night patrols with a rifle and a flashlight, eventually he moved into the bush. Sleeping under the stars, learning the rhinos’ sounds and movements – and enduring his share of bruises – he earned their trust so that he could protect them. And in time, something remarkable happened: they let him in. It’s a story of tragedy and hope, of the quiet bond between a man and the last of his herd.
Producer: Tarryn Crossman | Presenter: Govan Whittles
NOW STREAMING
Death in the Chicken House
The Public Investment Corporation (PIC) was established over 100 years ago to manage investments on behalf of entities like the Government Employees’ Pension Fund (GEPF) and the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) – public sector funds that provide social security. That means it’s managing assets on behalf of taxpayers, like you. So, why does the PIC seem to be standing by while a poultry business worth overR1 billion is allegedly looted and run into the ground? That’s what we set out to investigate. What we encountered were reports of a whistleblower fired, then arrested and her home raided, desperate employees demanding their wages, thousands of starving chickens, and a cast of characters with a hand in the business’s demise. It’s a maze of alleged political influence and governance failures. Watch the full story now on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
Arts vs Diplomacy
It was a controversial showdown between President Cyril Ramaphosa and his US counterpart, Donald Trump at the White House. But even as our delegation attempted to reset relations last month, a meeting of an entirely different kind was taking place between two countries – on home soil. A South African soprano stepped onto a Pretoria stage, accompanied by the celebrated Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra. And together, they made magic and united nations through music. Find this inspiring story now on DStv Stream.
Metro Centre Mayhem
Joburg’s CBD has been a talking point for decades. But there’s arguably no better metaphor for the state of the city than the Metro Centre. It’s the seat of the City Council, now declared unsafe and closed. This story investigates one of the reasons for the ongoing failure to rejuvenate the city. It’s something deceptively simple: paperwork. But what we found exposes a profound challenge. Witness the chaos now on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
NEWS & VIEWS
Free At Last!
South African engineers Peter Huxham and Frederik “Frik” Potgieter were arrested while working in Equatorial Guinea in 2023 and charged with drug smuggling. The arrest is believed to have been a political tit for tat after a superyacht belonging to Equatorial Guinea’s Vice President, Teodorin Obiang was seized in Cape Town Harbour. After months in jail, the men were found guilty and sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment. It looked like the end to a dark story. But last week, they were granted a pardon by the President of Equatorial Guinea and released. They have finally been allowed to return home to their families. We’ll be following that story and bringing you updates.
In the meantime, you can revisit our story on their arrest as we tried to piece together the events that led up to their detainment.
Black Beach Hell
In 2013, Daniel Janse van Rensburg was illegally detained for more than 400 days in one of Equatorial Guinea’s worst prisons. Notorious for the brutalisation and neglect of prisoners, inmates at Black Beach are denied visiting rights and medical treatment. After eventually being released and returning to South Africa, Daniel sued the country’s vice president, Teodorin Obiang, the man he believes had him incarcerated at Black Beach. In 2021, the Western Cape High Court awarded him R39 million for his losses and suffering and illegal incarceration and ordered the attachment of Obiang’s assets. Then, on 9 February 2023, two days after a superyacht belonging to Obiang was seized in Cape Town, two South African citizens were detained in Equatorial Guinea and sent to Black Beach. Coincidence or a perverse act of revenge?
JOIN THE #CARTEBLANCHE CONVERSATION
Please note: Carte Blanche line-ups are subject to change. Stories can be viewed at www.carteblanche.co.za
Facebook: Carte Blanche #CarteBlanche
Twitter / X: @carteblanchetv #CarteBlanche
Instagram: @carteblanchetv #CarteBlanche
Youtube: carteblancheTV #CarteBlanche
TikTok: @carteblanchetv101
Threads: carteblanchetv
