Carte Blanche

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟵 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In Simon’s Town and Kommetjie in the Western Cape, residents are facing off against a familiar opponent: baboons. For years, both communities have tolerated the growing numbers of baboons moving around the villages in search of food. But, over time, tensions between people and these primates have reached boiling point. The baboons have become so habituated to living in town that they no longer fear people. Several homeowners have reported baboons breaking into their houses, looking for food. Some parents say their children are too afraid to play outside in their gardens. This is a crisis that’s been decades in the making and it’s pitting neighbour against neighbour as frustrated residents turn on each other.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In Mpumalanga, the illicit gold mining industry is worth millions. Thousands of illegal miners, better known as zama zamas, have moved into the Lowveld in a modern-day gold rush, mining abandoned and operational mines. In Sabie, they're endangering the R40-billion forestry industry, digging shafts between trees and destroying vast tracts of valuable land. But it’s not the only town that has been impacted. Pilgrim’s Rest, Barberton and Mbombela are on edge. One of the biggest concerns for communities is the so-called acid baths – rudimentary pool-sized baths filled with dangerous chemicals like cyanide and sulfuric acid which are used to separate gold from ore-bearing rock. They're built next to major rivers supplying local agriculture, and the chemicals are leaking into the groundwater. And that’s not all. Running gun battles between illegal miners and law enforcement have left many community members fearing for their lives. In this two-part special, Carte Blanche investigates the extent and the impacts of the illegal mining that has hijacked the Lowveld.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟳 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. Decaying fish line the banks of the Klipvoor Dam. It might look like a free meal for cormorants and fish eagles, but the dam – once home to hundreds of indigenous fish species – has become dangerously polluted. New research shows that the Apies River, which flows from Pretoria into the dam, is full of pharmaceutical drugs including antidepressants, as well as cocaine and tik. But that hasn’t stopped criminal syndicates from poaching the fish and selling it for human consumption. Now, unsuspecting consumers are eating fish that could pose serious health risks. Carte Blanche joins an anti-poaching unit on patrol. Producer: Anina Peens | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. On 28 September, South Africans cheered as our nation’s heroes took to the field to face Argentina in the Rugby Championship final. But the pluckiest person on the field was fighting not for a trophy, but for her life. Ten-year-old Isabella Esterhuyse is undergoing intense chemotherapy to combat the cancer invading her body. But her spirit remains undaunted. An avid rugby fan, her dream was to meet the Springboks... But, as she walked into the stadium holding Siya Kolisi’s hand, it was Isabella who captured the nation’s hearts.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. What do you think of when you hear the word “nuclear”? The iconic mushroom clouds of an atomic explosion? The devastating fallout from Chernobyl or Fukushima? Well, a group of local scientists wants you to see nuclear differently: a way to save lives. The team based at Pelindaba in the North West is at the cutting edge of research that’s promising great results in the treatment of advanced cancer. Carte Blanche takes a tour behind the scenes.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. It’s a summer night in peaceful, picturesque Stellenbosch and students are taking to the streets to party with their friends. But beneath the surface of this typical weekend scene, danger lurks. A group of girls walking home together realise that a car is following them. A couple taking in the view at the nearby Franschhoek Pass are bundled into the back of a car. Hours later, parents receive a frightening demand: money, or we kill your son. From muggings to abductions, violent crime in Stellenbosch is on the rise. What will it take to protect students?

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟯 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. South African Jean Jacques Wallis is a brave man. With nothing more than a webbing-sleeved jumpsuit, gravity and the wind for support, Jean Jacques is the second-fastest wingsuit flyer in the world. In wingsuit flying, the pilot freefalls and can reach speeds up to 400 km per hour, getting meters off the ground before soaring up to eject a parachute. It’s a sport that’s regarded as extremely dangerous, only attempted by the most experienced skydivers and thrill seekers. Carte Blanche meets this extraordinary athlete.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟯 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. At TB Lujiza Cemetery in East London in the Eastern Cape, Mbewukazi Ntungwa searches for her grandmother's grave. Years of municipal mismanagement have violated the dignity of the dead and their relatives; overgrown vegetation and piles of rubbish make it difficult for families to find the tombstones of their departed loved ones. But even more shocking are the shacks and informal dwellings that have been built inside the cemetery, some of them directly above the remnants of headstones which mark the final resting place of the deceased. People living on the dead... In Buffalo City Municipality, derelict cemeteries are common. A few kilometres away, the lone headstone of political stalwart Alcott Skweyi Gwentshe lies in dense undergrowth, a startling monument to neglect. Carte Blanche investigates.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟯 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. The fire season was dramatic this year. In the Free State, an 80-year-old woman lost her life, while over 300 cattle and 600 sheep burned alive. Areas around Pretoria weren't spared from the flames that wiped out scores of houses, while North West farmers are asking for aid after massive fires laid waste to parts of the Magaliesburg. In Limpopo, locals say they have never seen fires this fierce. In some places, gusting winds created runaway fires that spread at 30 kilometres an hour for up to eleven days. Last week, a couple stuck inside their blazing house frantically called family to say their last goodbyes... before escaping to safety, living to tell the tale. Carte Blanche headed to Limpopo for an aerial view of the devastating aftermath.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟲 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. On the outskirts of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Lucky Nxumalo, a self-taught welder, is using chess to transform his community. Lucky's passion for the game is giving local children a chance to develop their minds and discover new possibilities. After years of seeking government support to teach chess, Lucky’s dream remained out of reach. It wasn’t until a chance encounter with a stranger that his vision began to take shape. With some support, the Hlulabantu Chess Garden was created: a space where local kids gather to learn and play. Despite earning modestly, Lucky teaches chess for free, believing the game sharpens strategic thinking and can lead to a brighter future for his community. Through one man’s unwavering dedication, the simple game of chess is becoming a powerful tool for education and empowerment in an area where opportunities are few.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟲 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. Standing in the dock at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, Sifiso Mkhwanazi is an ordinary figure, just one of several hundred criminals who have appeared before Judge Cassim Moosa for sentencing. But his casual demeanour conceals a ruthless, violent serial killer - one of the youngest recorded in South Africa - who terrorised sex workers in downtown Johannesburg. After a series of gruesome murders sent shockwaves through the community, Mkhwanazi emerged as the shadowy figure behind the killings. As investigators dug deeper, they painted a chilling portrait of a man driven by dark impulses and a twisted sense of retribution. Carte Blanche asks: What drove a soft-spoken young man to become one of the country’s most prolific serial killers?

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟲 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. A half-hour walk up the mountain above Unie Park in Stellenbosch takes you to a huge construction site where ground has been broken for what is meant to be one of the Cape's new exclusive lifestyle estates. Roads have been laid on the steep slope and reinforced to prevent erosion, alien plants have been cleared, and the entire area enclosed with a fence which snakes down the mountainside. Luxury houses will go up here, commanding breathtaking views. The developers are selling plots for millions, attracting both local and international buyers who want a taste of the high-end Winelands lifestyle. But, for Stellenbosch residents concerned with urban heritage, this development feels very different from the small mountain resort they approved in a 2003 public participation process. And people living in neighbouring Ida’s Valley are chafing at a controversial land swap which they allege favours the developers with a sliver of municipal land in exchange for steep ground on which the developer cannot build. This at a time when plans for social housing on an adjacent piece of land seem to have fallen off the table. Carte Blanche examines the paper trail which throws light and shade on the convoluted process of environmental authorisation for an exclusive housing estate.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟯 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬. Trapped in a snare for several days without food or water and seriously injured, Khanyisa – a rare albino elephant calf didn’t stand a chance. At just six months old, her herd eventually abandoned her, leaving her to battle the elements alone. Now with a little help from some friends, she’s on the road to recovery. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟯 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬. They’re known as the Construction Mafia – community groups who demand a cut in building projects around the country, sometimes even resorting to violence and intimidation to get their way. From some form of employment, sub-contracting to their small businesses or, in some cases, straight-up cash – they say they’ll continue to hold construction sites to ransom until they receive their share. Carte Blanche investigates.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮. With two cases at home, and a steady climb in the numbers across multiple continents, mpox is on scientists’ radars globally. But what do South Africans need to know and do about this new outbreak? The National Institute of Communicable Diseases says this is the largest mpox outbreak, and the first to hit multiple countries at once, with the total number of cases worldwide approaching 5000 since May 2022. Carte Blanche investigates the symptoms, disease progression and treatment of this virus. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯𝟬 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬. Originally employed by the Dutch East India Company from the 1700s to plane wood for furniture and later the railways, very few of the Knysna woodcutters remain in the trade today. But we meet the exception – a woman who learned the craft from her father and took over driving the heavy-duty delivery trucks and feeding the ravenous sawmill when she was finally old enough to get a licence. Now she’s revived this dwindling artistry to contribute to what is considered to be the first African concert violin made from indigenous yellowwood. Carte Blanche gets a taste of the glorious warm tones. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟳 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵. In the grip of earth’s sixth mass extinction animals and insects are dying out at rates up to 1000 times the natural average. The destruction of a hundred species a year is driven by humans. Globally scientists are worried. Carte Blanche journeys to the nuclear exclusion zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine – the heart of what has been considered the most radioactive and chemically toxic hotspot in the world, where wildlife was all but wiped out 30 years ago. But in spite of life-threatening ionising radiation, Chernobyl's wildlife is thriving. We explore the lessons to be learned when man is removed from the equation. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟵 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬. In a time long before the coronavirus pandemic affected almost every country in the world, one South African family decided to take on the African continent. Travelling over 47 000 km and crossing through 29 countries – through harsh deserts, and war-torn regions, while fighting off crippling illness – this foursome spent six years living the adventure of a lifetime. And they did it in a small truck, powered entirely by vegetable oil. Carte Blanche met with this family as they returned from their journey. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟱 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟴. For years, analysts, banks and rating agencies promoted global retailer Steinhoff as a sound investment. With 40 brands under its belt, and operating in over 30 territories, the retail giant was one of the top performers on world markets. That is until the house of cards came tumbling down. Billionaire businessman and former chairman of the company, Christo Wiese, is suing Steinhoff for R59 billion. But was he really unaware of the accounting fraud and financial irregularities happening right under his nose? We put Wiese in the hot seat. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵. For the last five years, productivity at our ports has deteriorated, but this year it hit rock bottom. Delays over the last few months have cost the country millions in lost revenue as car manufacturers waited for parts, and citrus meant for across the world sat on the harbour for weeks. Ships fed up with our delays, bypassed the ports. The situation was so desperate that the shipping lines and freight forwarders implored the president to intervene. Now there is a new chief executive in charge of Transnet Port Terminals and she has hit the ground running, but with the country’s export reputation in tatters can she turn this huge state operation around, in time. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv