𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. It’s a Thursday morning in a hijacked building in Johannesburg’s inner city. A fire breaks out on the first floor and soon sets the dilapidated building ablaze. Trapped inside, dozens of people – men, women, and children - are unable to escape the flames. In the street below, onlookers frantically call for help as people attempt to save themselves by jumping from upper-storey windows. Hours later, as rescue workers pull the dead from the debris, the scale of the disaster becomes clear. Blame is soon shifted to NGOs working in the inner city by officials denying any culpability in the tragedy. But few could argue the victims would not have suffered such excruciating deaths had the warning of at least the past two decades been heeded. The same NGOs as well as the media and several politicians had been warning of the dangers posed by Jo’burg’s hijacked buildings. Yet the problem grew unchecked and now 77 people are dead. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. It has resonated across South Africa for years: the 2014 murder of Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa in his girlfriend’s house in Vosloorus. This week, the pathologist who examined Meyiwa’s lifeless body detailed the last moments of the popular soccer player’s life. But the shooting didn’t just end Meyiwa’s life: it forever changed the life of another young man from the community. Days after the brutal killing, police rounded up Zamo Mbatha, the first suspect in Meyiwa’s murder. Mbatha was detained for two weeks before the court abruptly ordered his release; police did not have enough evidence to link him to the case. But it was too late for Mbatha. With many still believing that he was Meyiwa’s killer, his life was altered. Ten years later, as five other men stand trial for Meyiwa’s murder, Mbatha’s multi-million rand lawsuit against the police has come to a standstill. Carte Blanche examines how his wrongful arrest as the first suspect shattered his world. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

It’s late on a Friday night in Durban. A group of people emerge from a restaurant, among them arguably the country’s most famous musician. They’re in a jovial mood, hugging and shaking hands. Seconds later, a man rushes towards them, a gun in hand. He shoots before disappearing into the darkness. At the same time, another assailant fires at the group from a different direction. As chaos erupts, Kiernan Forbes, also known as AKA, and his friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, lie dead on the pavement. Their murder makes instant news on social media, and almost immediately speculation circulates on the motive for the killing. Could it be the work of KwaZulu-Natal’s notorious iinkabi – faceless guns for hire, apparently untouchable by law enforcement? As Forbes becomes the third musician gunned down in South Africa in the space of just four months, Carte Blanche investigates. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://bit.ly/PodcastCB

Where do you begin to eulogise a man who has meant so much to so many people? This Sunday, the Carte Blanche family stands together to pay tribute to our beloved colleague and friend, Derek Watts. Derek was a remarkable man, fearless in the pursuit of justice. He was a beacon for the forgotten and downtrodden, and a steadying hand amid chaos and anxiety. He embodied the ideal, “umntu ngumntu, ngabantu” (I am because you are), connecting with people from all walks of life and treating each with dignity and respect. He dedicated his life to telling South Africa’s story. In 1988, producer Bill Faure approached Derek to co-host a new show, Carte Blanche, which would air on M-Net every Sunday night. Forty years old, easy-going, sports mad... Derek might not have been an obvious choice, but his charisma and the chemistry he shared with co-host Ruda Landman created a dynamic partnership that audiences found irresistible. As Carte Blanche grew and evolved, covering the seminal moments of South Africa’s changing story, Derek too went from strength to strength. The stories he told reflected this: from reporting on the Boipatong Massacre where the crew filmed through the night as Derek confronted politicians and gave the victims and their families a much-needed voice, to traveling to the foot of Mount Everest and every possible corner of South Africa. In the 35 years he spent with the show, his passion never dimmed and he never lost his unique ability to connect with people. We will miss him tremendously, but we draw strength and inspiration from the incredible legacy he leaves behind. Our deepest condolences to his beloved Belinda, Tyrone, Kirsten, and his siblings. Lala ngoxolo Papa D, ugqatso ulufezile. Umzamo omhle uwuzamile. Rest in perfect peace. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv