“From lack of accountability to outright political insolence – forgive us if we are at a loss for words regarding this week’s Carte Blanche offering.”
Politics Without Consequence
Nearly three years ago, Carte Blanche exposed a convicted child rapist holding public office as executive mayor of a small town. Three years later, not much has changed. Convicted in 2008 of statutory rape and indecent assault, he’s been elected three separate times. And despite public pressure, suspensions and removals simply haven’t stuck. Meanwhile, this small town holds a dubious title: it’s the Western Cape’s worst-performing municipality. Now, activists are pushing for a constitutional amendment to bar convicted sexual offenders from public office. As the country heads toward another local election, it’s more than ballots at stake: it’s belief in the power of accountability.
Producer: Latashia Naidoo | Presenter: Govan Whittles
WATCH AGAIN: Kannaland’s Civic Convict
It’s a collection of dusty Karoo hamlets known for their picturesque beauty. But, as in many small towns around the country, the Kannaland Municipality is failing its residents. More shocking than the non-delivery of basic services is that the municipality is being run by convicted criminals. The halls of its municipal buildings are walked by two convicted child rapists and a fraudster, all wielding significant influence. Yes, Kannaland’s new Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Municipal Manager are all men with questionable pasts, their criminal records no hindrance to high office. Carte Blanche investigates.
Kempton Park’s Haunted Hospital
Once a state-of-the-art facility, it’s become the stuff of legend: videos of the deserted interior, ghost sightings, and folk tales abound on social media. But Kempton Park Hospital on Johannesburg’s East Rand has a more predictable and destructive legacy as well. Millions are spent on security while the site decays; budgeted maintenance and promised refurbishment come to nothing. Meanwhile, nearby hospitals crumble under the strain of too many patients and too few resources. As the projected cost of reviving a derelict facility continues to skyrocket, is it time for decisive action on the so-called ghost hospital?
Producer: Catherine Rice | Presenter: Govan Whittles
O’Kiep to the World
From a dusty mining town to the global stage… A dance group transforms local stories into world-class contemporary performance. O’Kiep in the Northern Cape is best known for its deserted copper mine. But it’s also the unlikely home of a dance ensemble that’s recently returned from a series of sold-out performances across Europe. Two legends in the contemporary dance world retired to their hometown but soon found themselves tapping into a deep well of local dance talent. Now their protégé is putting their hometown and its people on the map.
Producer: Liz Fish | Presenter: Erin Bates
STREAMING NOW
Murray Murders: Insult to Justice
A brutal double murder – a family shattered. Two years ago, father-and-son liquidators Cloete and Thomas Murray were gunned down in Johannesburg. And while their devastated family have been promised justice, nearly three years have passed without arrests or answers. The Murrays were working on a string of high-profile and controversial liquidation cases, bringing them into contact with the world of organised crime. But why has the investigation into their murders apparently been repeatedly bungled? Watch the full story now on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
NEWS & VIEWS
Regional VJOY Awards: KwaZulu-Natal
Carte Blanche producer Carol Albertyn Christie has won at this year’s Regional Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards: KwaZulu-Natal for her story titled Chess for Change. She shares the award with presenter Macfarlane Moleli and crew members Ryan Logie and Dan Clayton.
The story highlights Lucky Nxumalo, a self-taught welder living on the outskirts of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Nxumalo uses chess to empower his community, creating the Hlulabantu Chess Garden where local children learn and play. Despite limited resources and years without government support, Nxumalo teaches chess for free, believing the game builds strategic thinking and opens new opportunities.
“Judges were transfixed by the winning entry’s storytelling, craft, the powerful visual evocation of the setting and the sensitivity with which it captured how one man’s vision transformed a community. It shows how the language of sport can transcend privilege and infrastructure,” the VJOY panel said.
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