M-Net celebrates Freedom Day with the broadcast of a 90-minute Carte Blanche special, looking back at three decades of democracy in South Africa, on Sunday 28 April at 19:00. 30 Years of Democracy tells the story of South Africa and her people, from the moment democracy was attained, reflecting on the journey so far and imagining what the perfect destination looks like.
Thirty years after the country’s first free, fair, democratic election in 1994, the Carte Blanche team travels across South Africa to meet people from all walks of life, sharing their realities, hearing their dreams, and listening intently to their hopes for the future. Rather than being a history of post-apartheid South Africa or a political assessment of South Africa’s destiny, 30 Years of Democracy seeks to gain an understanding of how South Africans have experienced the last thirty years living in this country, how it has shaped their identity, and whether they believe their hopes, wants, and needs will be realised in the future.
“The Carte Blanche team takes to the highways, streets, and back roads to speak to South Africans from all walks of life in their homes: from a Sandton chef to a rural chief, a Durban street artist to a medical student, and a lawyer to a taxi boss,” says Waldimar Pelser, Channel Director: Premium Channels at MultiChoice. “We think we know South Africa because we live the everyday realities – but how often do we consider the lived experience of a wider cross-section of the country and seek to understand what people’s hopes for their country are?”
The history of SA is one of migration, displacement, belonging, exile, and leaving home to seek new opportunities elsewhere. It’s also one of resilience and solidarity. 30 Years of Democracy focuses on the landscape and the different challenges experienced by people in their day-to-day lives in five of our main provinces. Theirs are stories of laughter, loss, community, hope and fear – of a country often divided, but sometimes unexpectedly and joyfully united. Amplified by commentary which creates historical context, these are the stories of South Africa, three decades into freedom.
Watch the 90-minute Carte Blanche special 30 Years of Democracy on Sunday 28 April at 19:00 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101). Because of the extended duration, the Sunday night movie will start at 20:30 on 28 April. You can also live-stream it on DStv Stream and watch on DStv Catch Up after the broadcast. Join the conversation on X, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook using the hashtag #CarteBlanche.