𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯𝟬 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. It was a 40th birthday celebration that should’ve ended in high spirits. But without warning, career woman and mom of three young children, Kim Ballantine, lost her voice. Spasmodic dysphonia, a rare and serious neurological condition, caused her vocal cords to spasm, leaving her unable to breathe and, on several occasions, at death’s door. Meals were puréed and sipped through a straw but often triggered life-threatening spasms of Kim’s vocal cords. Doctors couldn’t find the cause of her condition, and she was told she would never speak again. And then, just as the family was learning to adapt to a new normal, Kim was diagnosed with breast cancer. In this remarkable story of loss and hope, love and faith, we speak to a family that stuck together through the tough times, inspiring us never to give up - no matter how dire the situation may appear. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟯 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In Molepolole, the largest village in Botswana, 44 identical graves lie side-by-side in the community cemetery. The burial site stands as a memorial for the scores of people killed in a horrific bus crash across the border in South Africa. Just days before the start of the Easter celebrations, busloads of worshippers travelled from across Southern Africa to Moria in Limpopo for the annual ZCC pilgrimage. But these Batswana pilgrims and their bus driver never made it to the sacred place of worship. Instead, the speeding bus plunged over the bridge on the Mmamatlakala Pass. There was just one survivor – an eight-year-old girl who escaped with just minor injuries. But what really happened on the bridge? This dangerous hairpin bend on the R518 has become notorious for serious accidents and, while the authorities have suggested speeding as the primary cause of the crash, could something else have contributed to the tragic outcome? Now, Carte Blanche examines the state of the barriers before the accident on Maundy Thursday. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

On a highway just outside Heidelberg in Gauteng, a young man – battered and bruised – is left fighting for his life. Now, a year since his death, no one seems to know what happened to Dylan Bothma. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟵 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. The ANC has been the governing party in South Africa for 30 years – gaining majorities in each election since 1994. Until now. A poor record of service delivery, staggering unemployment, corruption, and rising crime have seen the ANC's popularity wane. And in last month’s national election, its support plummeted to just over 40 per cent. The loss of faith in the ANC comes as former President Jacob Zuma capitalises on a surge of popularity for his MK Party, which has captured the hearts, minds and votes of the people of KwaZulu-Natal and, to a degree, Gauteng. It’s a catastrophic result for the humbled ANC which now forces it to consider governing nationally in coalition for the first time in its history. For the next ten days, critical discussions will happen behind closed doors while anxious South Africans await a result. Carte Blanche examines why this shift has happened, and how it might shape the future of governance in our country for the next five years. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv