“We’ve done our fair share of stories detailing the numerous government failings when it comes to basic education for all. This week’s story is no different. But somehow, we’re left feeling more angered than usual. And, once you’ve watched Sunday’s show, we’re sure you’ll understand why.”
Forgotten and Failing
Special needs schools across KwaZulu-Natal are in crisis, with months of unpaid subsidies forcing dozens to near-collapse. Seventy-six schools that care for children with disabilities are now unable to provide food, therapy, transport, or safe learning spaces. And parents are taking a drastic step: closing down the schools they say are failing their children. This is a story about more than missed payments. Behind the statistics are real children whose rights to dignity, safety, and education are being quietly stripped away.
Producer: Busisiwe Gumede-Chizhanje | Presenter: Masa Kekana
Jackpot Nation
South Africa is being emptied out one bet at a time, as a digital economy of unregistered internet lounges, spaza shop, betting hubs and smartphone apps drain wages, grants and loans. Families are losing more to gambling than to most leisure expenses, while the laws meant to regulate the industry remain hopelessly outdated. But authorities are fighting back. As law enforcement raids illegal lounges and seizes machines in an attempt to stem the tide, Carte Blanche goes to the frontline in the battle against illegal gambling.
Producer: Anina Peens | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
Oom Bennie’s Barbershop
Tucked away on the edge of Sophiatown is a tiny two-chair barbershop. From the pavement, it looks like nothing special. But step inside and you enter a rugby time capsule. Every wall and even the ceiling is packed with memorabilia, collected over more than three decades. Clients travel from all over for a cut, a chat and Oom Bennie’s trademark life advice. Rugby greats have sat in the same seat as our own cameraman. So, what makes this humble shop such a magnetic landmark? It’s a story about one man’s living museum where rugby, memory, and community meet.
Producer: Sasha Schwendenwein | Presenter: Govan Whittles
STREAMING NOW
Ghost Hospital
Our public healthcare facilities are so notoriously overburdened that it might come as a surprise to hear that, on Johannesburg’s East Rand, an entire hospital has stood empty for nearly 30 years. In the decades since Kempton Park Hospital shut its doors, its story has only grown stranger. The sprawling abandoned building is now an attraction for ghost hunters and thrill-seekers. But while the myths multiply online, the real mystery is why nothing has been done to renovate or rebuild the hospital – and why it continues to drain the public purse. It’s a particularly relevant question given the significant issues plaguing nearby Tembisa Hospital. Watch the full story now on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
Politics Without Consequence
Our public healthcare facilities are so notoriously overburdened that it might come as a surprise to hear that, on Johannesburg’s East Rand, an entire hospital has stood empty for nearly 30 years. In the decades since Kempton Park Hospital shut its doors, its story has only grown stranger. The sprawling abandoned building is now an attraction for ghost hunters and thrill-seekers. But while the myths multiply online, the real mystery is why nothing has been done to renovate or rebuild the hospital – and why it continues to drain the public purse. It’s a particularly relevant question given the significant issues plaguing nearby Tembisa Hospital. Get the full story on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
COMING SOON
Hooked by Towing
From storage charges to retrieval and repairs – a single accident can trigger a financial predicament. And with the towing industry in overdrive, desperate drivers are left stranded by the very people meant to help them. That’s in an upcoming episode of Carte Blanche.
NEWS & VIEWS
That Rings a Bell!
This week, Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala appeared before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations made by Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The alleged underworld figure, who is currently being held at Kgosi Mampuru prison in Pretoria on attempted murder charges, is regarded by the committee as a key witness in the ongoing probe into the alleged infiltration of criminal elements within the South African police. During his appearance, a list of companies linked to Matlala was read into the record. One of the companies he has since resigned from caught our attention: Ride to Own. In July 2023, Carte Blanche reported on the Ride to Own scheme. At the time, our story focused on Tyrone and Chané Venter, the Pretoria couple spearheading the alleged Ponzi scheme. You can watch the full story now on our website.
Birdman (2024)
South African wingsuit pilot Jean Jacques Wallis, celebrated for his record-breaking feats, has died in a paragliding accident on Lion’s Head in Cape Town. Wallis was flying a Flare Moustache parakite when he fell on Tuesday. Emergency services were alerted by hikers, but the cause of the accident remains under investigation. Wallis was regarded as one of the fastest wingsuit flyers globally, reaching speeds of hundreds of kilometres, and in September he won gold in the Target Strike event in China, topping the World Wingsuit League after two previous silver medals. Known for his daring skill in wingsuit flying, Wallis was also a prominent skydiver and paraglider. Tributes have poured in on social media, remembering him as an adventurer whose passion and energy inspired many. In October last year, Carte Blanche met up with Wallis – and Govan got just a small taste of the magic of flight.
“Scared? I would say if you’re not scared of dying, there’s something wrong. But I think most people are scared, are not living enough in their lives. So, that’s what all skydivers and base jumpers are trying to do. We’re just trying to, like, suck the marrow out of life and do what we can.” ~ Jean Jacque Wallis
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