Tag: mnet

“About 10 days ago, after a period of ineffective self-medication, I encountered a South African doctor at a clinic in Dublin. A dull discomfort in a lower wisdom tooth had progressed into pain so unrelenting, it would have floored a bullock – or similar-sized mammal. As we spoke briefly about home, cursed the Irish weather and… Continue reading Coming Up On Carte Blanche – 12 May 2024

“I’ve never really understood the notion that hunting benefits conservation. I appreciate that more hunting requires more animals, but is that truly a benefit? How much of the foreign currency generated by trophy hunting finds its way back into grassroots conservation?  Into research? Into community projects? Not much, is my guess. Then again, I’ve never really… Continue reading Coming Up On Carte Blanche – 5 May 2024

A CARTE BLANCHE DOCUMENTARY “Some weeks ago, I was sent a photo of an exhausted but smiling crew outside an airfield in the Northern Cape. Laden with gear, they were about to board the final flight of an exhausting production schedule incorporating five provinces, close to 30 interviews, and several sleep-deprived nights. And yet, despite… Continue reading 30 Years of Democracy – Carte Blanche 28 April 2024

“You can imagine our team’s surprise when served with court papers claiming we’d called someone a ‘convicted fraudster’ when, in fact, she wasn’t. Nonetheless, we spent a frenzied 48 hours helping our lawyers compile a defence of our claim and preparing for a court appearance in Cape Town. But, just days before the High Court… Continue reading Coming Up On Carte Blanche – 21 April 2024

“Our story on private birthing centres resonates with me. My eldest daughter was born in an Irish hospital in the care of the most hapless and hopeless of obstetricians. Clearly stressed and overworked, he tried to induce labour 11 days after my wife’s due date. None of what he tried worked, and my daughter eventually… Continue reading Coming Up On Carte Blanche – 14 April 2024

“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,… Continue reading Coming Up On Carte Blanche – 7 April 2024