“Nickolaus Bauer has many attributes, but the one for which I am generally most grateful is his eye for a decent Rioja and his willingness to hand-deliver the occasional bottle to his Executive Producer. Hats off to him, too, for finding a South African making a name for himself as a winemaker in the region made famous by this most Spanish of tipples. Coincidentally, a South African who hails from a region made famous by the far less vaunted Weet-Bix.” – John Webb, Executive Producer
Don’t Ask
A controversial office lease. Expensive international travel. Questions raised in Parliament. This story begins with an investigation into allegations of financial mismanagement and mandate failures in an organisation intended to serve the youth. But it doesn’t end there. Because when an investigative journalist began to ask questions, she was served with a protection order. And she’s not the only one facing legal action for a story that powerful people don’t want pursued. Is legislation intended to protect the vulnerable being used to discourage legitimate inquiries? And is it derailing public accountability? We pick up where others were forced to stop.
Producer: Harri Vithi | Presenter: Masa Kekana
Runners’ Fight Club
KwaZulu-Natal is home to the Comrades Ultramarathon, one of the toughest endurance races on the planet, testing the human spirit over 90 kilometres of hills, heat, and agony. But this year, the ultimate test of stamina is surviving boardroom politics, legal warfare, and even a physical street brawl, as conflict comes to characterise athletics administration in the province. Now, a dramatic breakaway could have far-reaching consequences for athletics. Investigative journalism meets soap opera in a story about sports politics gone wild.
Producer: Joy Summers | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
Old Vines, New Roots
In one of wine’s oldest spiritual homes, innovation is arriving from an unexpected place. Spain’s Rioja vineyards date back to the time of Ancient Rome: methods passed and reputations built over generations. But as a quiet revolution sweeps the industry, a Swartland-born winemaker is breathing new life into these ancient vines. Spontaneous fermentation, minimal intervention, wines that tell the story of the soil beneath them: he’s one of the region’s boldest new voices, and he speaks with a South African accent.
Producer & Presenter: Nickolaus Bauer
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