Johannesburg Awakening Minds: Michael Mazibuko

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟭 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In Linden - a small Johannesburg suburb - Clement Tebruggo has become a familiar figure. He often spends his days queuing at a nearby church for a plate of food. Linden is one of the few communities that offers sanctuary to homeless people, providing them with a place of safety and regular meals. Hundreds of people who find themselves living on handouts now flock to this neighbourhood and, for some residents, it’s a major problem. In surrounding suburbs, the influx of homeless people has seen a rise in crime and sometimes abandoned buildings are taken over and transformed into informal settlements. As the numbers spike throughout the country, Carte Blanche asks how the challenge of homelessness should be confronted. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

On the streets of Johannesburg, waste pickers have become a familiar sight. They’re an army of recyclers, often homeless, who sort through the city’s growing rubbish piles. Their working conditions are harsh and living on the streets is brutal. But Gibson Nzimande, a young man with a lifelong dream to become a university professor, didn’t allow his dire circumstances to prevent him from reaching for two university degrees. He had nowhere to live but, with the help of a bursary to pay for his fees, he spent every night at a nearby petrol station studying to achieve qualifications that few South Africans can dream of, let alone afford. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯𝟭 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. 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. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟬 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In a quiet office in Johannesburg, Captain Keshi Mabunda mulls over a docket. It’s a startling murder case: a woman who allegedly killed two of her relatives to collect multi-million rand payouts from their life insurance policies. This investigation is eerily similar to another case that Mabunda solved, and SAPS top brass have requested his assistance. In 2021, Mabunda was instrumental in the investigation that led to the arrest and conviction of notorious serial murderer, Rosemary Ndlovu. But even for a seasoned police officer, this is a dangerous job and the bodyguards who occasionally accompany him suggest that Mabunda’s life is on the line. Carte Blanche meets the man behind the badge. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv