I N V E S T I G A T I O N S
Land for Sale?
Taking advantage of a moratorium on the demolition of informal structures and eviction of people from occupied homes during lockdown, criminal syndicates sell land that does not belong to them to people who will no longer wait for the government to catch up with the housing backlog in Gauteng. Carte Blanche investigates a spree of so-called land invasions that have sparked tension between landowners and newcomers desperate for shelter. Who is behind the orchestrated land grabs?
Producers: Ntokozo Miya & Mduduzi Miya | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli
Imaginary Vehicles
As the global coronavirus pandemic continues, consumers are becoming more comfortable with online shopping, even for big items like vehicles. But buyer beware, because whether you’re buying from a trusted website or following up on an advertisement on a social media platform, it’s never been riskier to part with your money. That was the case for some unlucky bargain hunters who found a tempting promotion selling repossessed cars on auction for a song. But within hours of making payment the car, the auction and the money disappeared from sight. It’s an elaborate scam by a dealership that doesn’t even exist. Carte Blanche investigates.
Producer: Kate Barry | Research: Tony Beamish | Presenters: Derek Watts and Masa Kekana
S O C I A L S P A C E
The Uptake in TikTok
South African media experts have called TikTok the social media sensation of 2019 and observed as the app continues its meteoric rise across the world. Used for creating, sharing and discovering short videos, the app is gaining popularity among Generation Z as an outlet to express themselves in an unvarnished way. Carte Blanche examines how TikTok has engineered stickability into the promotion of content creators’ bite-sized clips and set socially aware teenagers up as a force to be reckoned with.
Producer: Julian Sun | Presenter: Claire Mawisa
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