Coming up on Carte Blanche on M-Net & M-Net HD [101], Sunday 31 March 2024 at 19:00.
Digging for Coal
In KwaZulu-Natal, commercial farmers are on edge. While they own the land they farm on, government owns the minerals that lie underneath, and it’s giving scores of upstart coal companies prospecting licences and rights to mine. Tensions between farmers and mining groups in Newcastle are at an all-time high as the coal prospectors move in by the dozen to mine what’s left of the area’s coal reserve. For farmers, what’s equally concerning is the risk to vital water sources like the town’s main dam that provides drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people. Who are these opportunistic mining companies and why are they being allowed to mine in sensitive and protected areas?
Producer: Anina Peens
Presenter: Erin Bates
Research: Laura Byrne
Watch the Trailer
Shack City
The City of Johannesburg (COJ) is building an informal settlement for displaced residents. With a 500 000 housing backlog, the city has repeatedly failed to deliver on its housing projects, leaving thousands of residents without adequate homes. Last year, when 77 people died in a massive blaze at the Usindiso building downtown, the city’s skewed priorities and lack of preparedness were exposed. Every municipality is required to provide temporary shelters for residents caught in a major disaster – but the COJ hadn’t made any arrangements. So, it built 300 one-room, paper-thin tin shacks at an eye-watering R4.2-million. But should shacks cost ratepayers millions of rands? Carte Blanche investigates.
Producer: Harri Vithi
Presenter: Claire Mawisa
Hope and Healing
A normal day at home for eight-year-old Lelitha Jantjies turned into a nightmare when the family dog viciously attacked her, severely injuring her face. After multiple procedures to stitch her wounds and fight off an infection, the little girl was left with terrible scars and the emotional wounds inflicted by some uncaring schoolmates. Last year, medical specialist, Dr Ansua Steyn, heard about Lelitha’s plight and felt compelled to help. It was the start of something special as Dr Steyn, together with some of her colleagues, operated on Lelitha’s scars and slowly helped the little girl regain her confidence. But the team hasn’t stopped there. Theirs is a remarkable story of lending a hand to those who have suffered severe facial disfigurement and helped them get their lives back.
Producer: Mart-Marie Faure
Presenter: Claire Mawisa
Watch the Trailer
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.
Want to listen to Carte Blanche: The Podcast on the go? You can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and many other major podcast platforms.
Join the conversation using #CarteBlanche on:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Website
Please note Carte Blanche line-ups are subject to change.