{"id":25093,"date":"2026-11-15T17:58:54","date_gmt":"2026-11-15T15:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/?p=25093"},"modified":"2026-11-15T17:58:54","modified_gmt":"2026-11-15T15:58:54","slug":"coming-up-on-carte-blanche-15-november-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2026\/11\/15\/coming-up-on-carte-blanche-15-november-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Coming Up On Carte Blanche &#8211; 15 November 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cZama zamas are fuelling an illicit economy arguably more dangerous than any of the others, including illegal tobacco. Apart from the environmental damage they cause, their operations support human trafficking, gunrunning, and \u2013 as Sunday\u2019s insert reveals \u2013 rampant poaching. Intersperse that with losses to the fiscus, running gun battles with their rivals, and general lawlessness, and you get a sense of the scale of this criminal enterprise and the urgency required to deal with it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>&#8211; John Webb, Executive Producer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Coming up on 15 November - Arms Race | Carte Blanche | M-Net\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yOv79ki2Zbo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ghost Inventory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A criminal syndicate is allegedly operating inside the very department responsible for safeguarding Johannesburg\u2019s police firearms, ammunition and protective equipment. Insiders claim senior officials and private suppliers manipulate tenders, stock records, and payments to hide under-deliveries of essential equipment. Meanwhile, officers on duty seemingly depend on second-hand protective gear, while questions are raised about where their service firearms disappear to over weekends. It\u2019s allegedly costing the City millions \u2013 and putting lives in danger on the job. If the people responsible for enforcing the law are themselves accused of breaking it, who holds them accountable?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Producer: Sasha Schwendenwein | Presenter: Govan Whittles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Coming up on 15 November - The Cost of Gold | Carte Blanche | M-Net\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Tp2Q_g8iz5A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Cost of Gold<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two years ago, we exposed the scale of the illegal gold mining transforming Mpumalanga. Historic towns under siege, natural landscapes destroyed, communities living in fear. Now, we return to find the crisis spiralling into armed conflict. One community is literally caught in the crossfire, as gun battles between rival groups of zama zamas shut down the national highway. In nearby Kaapsehoop, the threat is closing in on another vulnerable target: the town\u2019s iconic wild horses. Trail cameras capture dozens of illegal miners entering the conservancy, and last year four horses were poached for meat. Are authorities helpless to prevent illegal mining endangering the last of an iconic herd?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Producer: Graham Coetzer | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Coming up on 15 November - Content Piracy | Carte Blanche | M-Net\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iL1bOcNIqIY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stolen Screens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An independent local filmmaker thinks she\u2019s found an international audience for her work \u2013 only to discover that someone has beaten her to it. A popular network is streaming unlicensed content to homesick expats. And it\u2019s far from an isolated case. Industry research suggests that around a quarter of South Africans have watched pirate video services. It might feel like a victimless crime, but it costs our creative and broadcast industry hundreds of millions every year. Carte Blanche examines the extent and impact of an international criminal enterprise, and finds out why it matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Producer &amp; Presenter: Marion Edmunds<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">MISSED THESE MOMENTS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sidney Hill: From Hero to Hero | Carte Blanche | M-Net #news\" width=\"563\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DxWH9uzc5rc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sidney Hill:<br \/>Unlikely Hero<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With a military background and 25 years in private security, Sidney Hill\u2019s life has always been defined by more than just fighting crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chrome Crisis: Don&amp;apos;t Snitch | Carte Blanche | M-Net #news\" width=\"563\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/AT1xeydfF2c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chrome Crisis:<br \/>Don\u2019t Snitch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Illegal chrome mining has devastated parts of Limpopo&#8217;s Sekhukhune District. It has escalated into a battle over land, with illegal mining syndicates vying for access to rich deposits &#8211; even when located directly beneath people&#8217;s homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Witrand Horrors: Refusing Accountability | Carte Blanche | M-Net #news\" width=\"563\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Wp97FXy0o1U?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Witrand Horrors:<br \/>Refusing Accountability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What really happened to long-term Witrand patient Julie McCarthy in 2020? Staff claim she choked on a sweet, but her sister insists a serious head wound and extensive bruising tell a far more sinister story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Unlikely Hero: Not A Movie | Carte Blanche | M-Net #news\" width=\"563\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FNnGmWdFdXo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unlikely Hero:<br \/>Not a Movie<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I don&#8217;t see myself as a hero. I see myself as a dad looking after his child.&#8221; Call him a hero or South Africa&#8217;s John Wick, but for Sidney Hill, it was purely about defending his family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"In Safe Hands? Witrand Horrors | Carte Blanche | M-Net #news\" width=\"563\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aM5VUsiasEc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Witrand Horrors:<br \/>In Safe Hands?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In June this year, long-term Witrand Psychiatric Ward patient Quinton du Plessis was found naked and severely bruised beside his bed. His sister, Colette, suspects he was silenced. Witrand management denies any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">JOIN THE #CARTEBLANCHE CHAT<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Please note: Carte Blanche line-ups are subject to change. Stories can be viewed at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/m-net.dstv.com\/show\/carte-blanche\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.carteblanche.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Facebook:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carteblanchetv\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Carte Blanche<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/search\/latest\/?q=%23carteblanche\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&nbsp;#CarteBlanche<\/a><br \/>Bluesky:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/carteblanche.co.za\">@carteblanche.co.za<\/a><br \/>TikTok:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@carteblanchetv101\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@carteblanchetv101<\/a><br \/>Youtube:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/carteblanchetv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">carteblancheTV #CarteBlanche<\/a><br \/>Instagram:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carteblanchetv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@carteblanchetv<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/explore\/tags\/carteblanche\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&nbsp;#CarteBlanche<\/a><br \/>Twitter \/ X:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/carteblanchetv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@carteblanchetv<\/a><br \/>Threads:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.net\/@carteblanchetv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">carteblanchetv<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cZama zamas are fuelling an illicit economy arguably more dangerous than any of the others, including illegal tobacco. Apart from the environmental damage they cause, their operations support human trafficking, gunrunning, and \u2013 as Sunday\u2019s insert reveals \u2013 rampant poaching. Intersperse that with losses to the fiscus, running gun battles with their rivals, and general&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2026\/11\/15\/coming-up-on-carte-blanche-15-november-2026\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Coming Up On Carte Blanche &#8211; 15 November 2026<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24475,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[97,10],"tags":[65,21],"class_list":["post-25093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-online","category-television","tag-carte-blanche","tag-mnet","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/CarteBlanche2026-banner.jpg?fit=600%2C222&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25093","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25093"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25094,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25093\/revisions\/25094"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}