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

Rising unemployment and living costs are pushing more people to seek refuge in city parks and on street corners. With the number of homeless people on the increase, a turf war between residents and the displaced intensifies. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

Edie commemorates her brother only to be interrupted by unexpected drama.

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