Free State death traps

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. It’s something few parents of children with severe disabilities ever discuss – at least not openly: the personal toll measured in stress and frustration. In some homes, the burden can become so isolating and depressing that parents sometimes keep children locked indoors for days at a time. In the Western Cape, state-sponsored Iris House Children’s Hospice provides a vital free service that gives parents much-needed respite from the pressures of raising children with disabilities. But it’s a service under threat. By the end of April, drastic budget cuts across various departments and provinces threaten to substantially reduce Iris House’s income. And it’s not the only NGO facing an existential crisis. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟰 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In October 2022, two families and community members in Stellenbosch in the Western Cape frantically searched for missing teenagers Leila du Preez Lees and Ethan Kirkland. Three days after their disappearance, their lifeless bodies were pulled out of a water-filled quarry at an abandoned property in the middle of Stellies. But this tragedy was decades in the making. The infamous 77 Bird Street had been a problem property for over 30 years. Initially intended to be turned into a block of flats, the owners excavated the property to build basement parking but permit issues with the City halted construction, leaving a deep, unfinished pit. As water filled the quarry, this prime real estate remained unsecured. Over the years, several requests for the owners and the municipality to attend to the problem were ignored. Now, more than a year since their untimely deaths, the teens' families are baying for justice.   Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟴 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. He may be one of the most fortunate businessmen in Gauteng. A well-connected entrepreneur, he has been awarded over two billion rands’ worth of tenders by several provincial governments. But with questionable links to high-ranking politicians, this flamboyant businessman has gained a reputation for pocketing the money and leaving a string of unfinished projects behind him. In the Free State, a project to eradicate the bucket system in an impoverished community has ended in despair as sewage continues to flow down the streets. His companies have become notorious for non-delivery... but government keeps awarding him tenders. Carte Blanche asks why. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟭 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀. At just two years old, Chevonne Rusch had endured a difficult upbringing. Throughout her short life, the little girl and her siblings were violently abused and neglected. Friends and neighbours repeatedly reported the abuse to the police and to authorities but no one acted. Then she was brutally murdered. It’s a tragic story, but our investigation shows that Chevonne’s death could’ve been prevented had authorities taken action. Instead, their inaction coincided with an escalation in the abuse and, in the end, a tragic loss of life. Carte Blanche investigates how the state, as custodians of vulnerable children, continues to fail them. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv