Post-Blind Profile: Petro de Villiers

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟮 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. He was a man whose financial acumen impressed several hard-nosed businesspeople. Backed by references from a respected lawyer, he was a well-connected broker who could provide funds for big international projects... At least, that’s what he claimed on his LinkedIn profile. Using the business networking platform to contact brokers who acted on his behalf to secure clients, he lured people in with the promise of millions in investment funds. The only catch was the payment of an underwriting fee, refundable once the deal was finalised. But the refunds never materialised. The so-called LinkedIn Swindler duped 39 clients from around the world, vanishing with their money and unfulfilled promises of investment. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟮 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. Poaching has decimated our rhino population, a scourge that continues unabated despite concerted attempts by conservation groups and others to stem the tragic tide. Now, this threatened species has been given a lifeline: 2 000 semi-wild rhinos, once owned by a high-profile businessman and breeder, will be rewilded into reserves across the continent. It’s an audacious plan with significant risks, but the purchase of the world’s largest population of privately owned rhino could be a game-changer for these mammals. Can this ambitious conservation effort help secure a future for the white rhino? Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯𝟬 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. South Africa’s friendship with Russia is a political football that temporarily came to rest last week. On Friday, the High Court confirmed that we’d be required to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes were he to attend the BRICS summit in Johannesburg next month. The Department of Justice has now requested a warrant of arrest, while the Presidency confirmed that Putin will attend the summit virtually. It’s a temporary solution to a diplomatic impasse – arrest a high-profile guest or refuse and violate international law – but the debate around Russia’s engagement in Africa is far from settled. Is modern Russia a colonial power bent on exploiting the continent, or does it remain the Soviet friend of its liberation movements? Carte Blanche examines this political quagmire. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟯 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. In October 2021, a frantic call from a distraught husband sent emergency services and police to Pastor Liezel de Jager’s house. But it was already too late. Liezel was found strangled outside her Amanzimtoti home. Her father, Henk van Zyl - a former detective - made over 90 calls to police for feedback but, for two years, the investigation stalled… until civil rights organisation, Action Society, got involved. With increased pressure and media attention, police finally arrested a suspect last week. It’s an all-too-familiar picture: a case that clearly illustrates the fallout from an overburdened detective service unable to keep up with South Africa’s ever-soaring crime rates. According to the police’s own latest statistics, just under 12.5 percent of the country’s murders are solved. As families mourning the brutal deaths of their loved ones wait months or even years for closure, does the answer lie in watchdog organisations that effectively privatise the investigation and prosecution of crime? Carte Blanche investigates. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv