Kidfluencers

It’s late on a Friday night in Durban. A group of people emerge from a restaurant, among them arguably the country’s most famous musician. They’re in a jovial mood, hugging and shaking hands. Seconds later, a man rushes towards them, a gun in hand. He shoots before disappearing into the darkness. At the same time, another assailant fires at the group from a different direction. As chaos erupts, Kiernan Forbes, also known as AKA, and his friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, lie dead on the pavement. Their murder makes instant news on social media, and almost immediately speculation circulates on the motive for the killing. Could it be the work of KwaZulu-Natal’s notorious iinkabi – faceless guns for hire, apparently untouchable by law enforcement? As Forbes becomes the third musician gunned down in South Africa in the space of just four months, Carte Blanche investigates. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://bit.ly/PodcastCB

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟬 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮. Treatment for rare diseases can be staggeringly expensive. But when medical aid schemes refuse to pay, families are in for the fight of their lives. Carte Blanche explores the bitter conundrum families are confronted with as they try to access life-saving medicines for a group of rare genetic conditions called lysosomal storage disorders. A single month’s supply can cost hundreds of thousands of rands. The good news for patients is that these diseases are Prescribed Minimum Benefit conditions, which means that according to the Medical Schemes Act, medical aid schemes are obligated to cover treatment. And yet in case after case, medical aids refuse, dragging patients and their families through lengthy hearings with the Council for Medical Schemes. To date, the process has always resulted in a decision in the patient's favour. But at what cost to the patients while they’re forced to wait?

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. In South Africa, the safety of those who speak out against corruption and other types of malfeasance cannot be guaranteed. Nor can the extent to which they’re often ostracised and isolated be guarded against. Whistleblowers are often harassed, demoted or dismissed from work; they risk financial ruin, psychological trauma and, in some cases, they even pay with their lives. But despite the challenges, whistleblowers continue to display immense courage, standing up against injustice when no one else will stand with them. It’s a gap now being filled by the Whistleblower House, an online platform offering a range of supports, including legal and financial advice, to those who sacrifice so much in the name of accountability and justice. Carte Blanche meets the people behind this cause. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟲 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮. Times are tough, cash is tight and many of us are looking for ways of cutting back on living expenses. Some, though, are even prepared to break the law if it means saving a buck, and electricity it seems is the preferred way to do it. With more tariff hikes on the way – courtesy of our beleaguered power utility, Eskom – so-called electricity meter hackers are brazenly offering their services. For a once-off fee and with some deft manipulation, these qualified electricians ensure consumers pay a fraction of their normal electricity costs. It’s all illegal, of course, and punishable by up to 15 years in jail. Carte Blanche goes undercover to expose these self-styled Robin Hoods and how they’re costing municipalities hundreds of millions of rands.