Coming up on Carte Blanche‎ on M-Net & M-Net HD [101], Sunday 17 March 2024 at 19:00.

Trafficked: Bus Ride From Hell
In November last year, a ten-year-old girl was found during a routine traffic roadblock, squashed inside the luggage compartment of a long-distance bus. She had been smuggled from Zimbabwe into South Africa under extreme conditions for several hours. But her case isn’t unusual. In this months-long investigation, Carte Blanche unravels alleged cross-border human trafficking and the shadowy figures known as transporters who are making it all possible. Undocumented foreign nationals are lured to South Africa from numerous African countries – many of them ending up on the streets of Johannesburg North. Thousands of Malawians are lured into the country on the promise of a new life, some smuggled by long-haul bus companies and funeral parlours, only to be forced into sex work and manual labour. In an even more sinister twist, many of the victims are coerced into taking out funeral policies on themselves once they reach South Africa. It’s an unusual demand but a guaranteed income as the transporters cash in on vulnerable undocumented foreign nationals.

Producer: Graham Coetzer
Presenter: Govan Whittles
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Franschhoek’s Fierce Feud
A new proposal to erect a cableway in Franschhoek has divided the town. In peak season, the cableway could take 3000 visitors to the top station, which lies in a UNESCO World Heritage site. Final approval will be needed from national government before construction can go ahead. But if it does, restaurants, curio shops and an adventure centre will be built in this picturesque nature reserve. As the public participation process got underway, things got ugly on social media between those in favour and those against. The developers say this is the largest single investment into Franschhoek in many years and will create jobs and uplift the town, but many residents are not convinced.

Producer: Joy Summers
Presenter: Erin Bates
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Benny and the Fossils
It started with a young boy playing drums on the strange rocks on his favourite Wild Coast beach. Back then, Benny Mbotho didn’t realise that his playground was a series of unique fossil beds along the shore. But thanks to his grandmother, and her love of the beach and its fossils, he began to see this coastline from a new perspective. Right in front of him were the remnants of shark teeth, giant clams and petrified tree trunks from a time long forgotten: the age of the dinosaurs. And for the past five decades, Benny has been guarding these treasures for future generations.

Producer: Stenette Grosskopf
Presenter: Claire Mawisa
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Carte Blanche: The Podcast
Unique stories. Unique perspectives. Carte Blanche: The Podcast delves beneath the headlines into South African and global issues, bringing you the stories that matter. Like what you hear? Drop us a rating or review.

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Please note Carte Blanche line-ups are subject to change.