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

On the wild coast, locals and activists are fed up as a power oil and gas company moves in. A new documentary examines the battle between the Wild Coast Warriors and Shell. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. It was an ambitious climb into uncharted territory. A treacherous 15-day ascent on the icy slopes of Mount Putha Hiunchuli in the Himalayas. But a determined group of South Africans, aptly nicknamed the Madswimmers, were undeterred in their mission to complete the highest altitude swim ever recorded. The team – made up of people with no experience climbing steep mountains – faced harsh icy conditions, battled wind and snow, and navigated dangerous crevasses that threatened to collapse beneath them. Their reward? A three-minute-long dip in chillingly cold water to set a new world record. Carte Blanche travelled to Kathmandu to meet up with the Madswimmers. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟵 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. The National Student Financial Aid Scheme, better known as NSFAS, is a vital lifeline for students in need of financial assistance. It is funded by government and manages the billions of rands that are distributed to students to cover their fees, books, accommodation, and even their meals. Now it’s under threat. Years of mismanagement and questionable financial decisions inside the organisation have left hundreds of thousands of students in the lurch. Many of the problems can be traced back to a new payment system that allows service providers to charge high service fees. Carte Blanche examines how proximity to high-ranking NSFAS officials has benefitted one of these service providers. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv