Local excellence

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In a community stadium in Nkowankowa, Limpopo a group of soccer players converges on the field and the game begins. But this is no ordinary football match. Among the players is eighty-something-year-old Mama Annah “Bull” Bvuma, known as a fierce defender. Like her, the other players are all elderly and, while they might seem frail, they’re just as competitive as athletes half (or even a third) their age. The Vakhegula Vakhegula football club has become a firm favourite with both local and international spectators. Many of these women have travelled around the world playing in the Soccer Grannies World Championships. Carte Blanche meets the old ladies from rural communities who are taking to the beautiful game. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟱 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In Pietermaritzburg, in the Msunduzi Local Municipality, rubbish lies uncollected on the streets for weeks at a time. In this once-bustling capital city, the putrid stench of urine hangs in the air: a disturbing sign of the city’s decay. Sewage leaks and water pipeline bursts have become common while the supply of electricity has reached a crisis point. The municipality owes Eskom millions, but its coffers are dry. So, why did the mayor sign a multi-million rand deal to sponsor a PSL football team for the next three years? It’s a decision that has residents and business owners outraged. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟴 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In Hartbeespoort, Gauteng millions of tiny insects are hard at work, eradicating the water hyacinth suffocating the dam. It’s an invasive South American weed that, when left to bloom, depletes the oxygen in the water, killing fish and preventing boats from using the dam. For years, the Madibeng Local Municipality has tried unsuccessfully to eliminate the weed, but it always grows back. Now, scientists have introduced water hyacinth planthoppers: host-specific natural enemies of water hyacinth. But this new attempt to kill off the weed hasn’t been without controversy. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟴 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. Knysna, once the jewel of the Garden Route, is on the brink of collapse. Years of mismanagement, poor service delivery and a failing municipal council have torn at the fabric of what was once a seaside haven. But it’s not just on the streets that the crisis is visible: The Knysna estuary, the most biodiverse in the country, is now under serious threat from the failure of water treatment in the adjacent town. While the rot set in some time ago, a change in the local administration to an ANC-led multi-party coalition appears to have accelerated the town’s decline over the past year. As Knysna faces bankruptcy, Carte Blanche investigates what caused the downfall of one of the country’s most celebrated tourist destinations. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv