On the surface, Randolf Jorberg - with his bright yellow t-shirt, sunglasses and newly dyed yellow beard - is an eccentric character. But on the streets of Cape Town, he’s a well-known business owner who used to run one of the best beer houses on Long Street. In recent years, though, Randolf has been forced to retreat from the spotlight as protection rackets targeting small businesses have flourished. Cape Town has become the extortion epicentre, with violent criminal syndicates operating across the city. In 2015, Randolf refused to pay protection money. Weeks later, his doorman was assassinated. He says it was a clear message: pay up or suffer the consequences. Alleged underworld kingpins are currently on trial in the Western Cape High Court, but that hasn’t stopped their henchmen from wreaking havoc. Carte Blanche examines the underbelly of the Western Cape’s deadly extortion rackets. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟳 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In the capital city of Kyiv, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin and his team have spent months examining evidence of war crimes. Since Russia’s military invasion more than two years ago, Ukraine has been collecting exhibits and eyewitness accounts to mount a case against the Kremlin and its military forces and secure justice for thousands of civilians who have been tortured and killed in the ongoing war. Kostin is confident that it’s only a matter of time before Russia will be prosecuted for war crimes and forced to retreat from Ukraine’s borders. Carte Blanche, alongside a group of international journalists, gets a seat at the table as the high-level strategy missions highlight the plight of the Ukrainian people. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

'Twas the night before Christmas ...

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟲 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. When former President Jacob Zuma accused senior state prosecutor Billy Downer of leaking confidential medical information to journalist Karyn Maughan, she couldn’t have imagined how severely it would impact her life. For several months, Zuma pursued a private prosecution of both, placing Maughan in the crosshairs of some of the former president’s staunchest supporters. In court, Downer and Maughan emerged victorious. But she endured such violent online vitriol that she was forced to retreat to her family home. As a journalist, she’s not alone. It seems South Africa’s judiciary is being used as a battleground to harass and intimidate journalists and prevent them from doing their work. Carte Blanche examines how media freedom is under attack. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv