Taking it in – The Bachelorette SA

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 𝟮𝟰 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. In November last year, a ten-year-old girl was found during a routine traffic roadblock, squashed inside the luggage compartment of a long-distance bus. She had been smuggled from Zimbabwe into South Africa under extreme conditions for several hours. But her case isn’t unusual. In this months-long investigation, Carte Blanche unravels alleged cross-border human trafficking and the shadowy figures known as transporters who are making it all possible. Undocumented foreign nationals are lured to South Africa from numerous African countries – many of them ending up on the streets of Johannesburg North. Thousands of Malawians are lured into the country on the promise of a new life, some smuggled by long-haul bus companies and funeral parlours, only to be forced into sex work and manual labour. In an even more sinister twist, many of the victims are coerced into taking out funeral policies on themselves once they reach South Africa. It’s an unusual demand but a guaranteed income as the transporters cash in on vulnerable undocumented foreign nationals. Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

In April 2019, a newborn baby died after a trusted midwife failed to react when the infant displayed signs of distress in the womb. But this wasn’t the midwife’s first victim, or her last. In almost a decade, several children have either died or been severely disabled, allegedly because of this midwife’s actions. And despite losing her licence, she is still practicing. So, why has the South African Nursing Council (SANC), the regulatory body responsible for holding her accountable, failed to stop this registered nurse from operating? And did the Council do enough to prevent this well-known midwife from hurting more mothers and their children? Find more exclusive content on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟮 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. A once healthy and happy child who suddenly fell into the depths of depression and attempted suicide... Josh Crickmay’s story could have ended quite differently were it not for the unique and life-altering intervention of his parents, Kathy and Andrew. When their son - just 15 - became violent and endured bouts of severe depression, eventually dropping out of school, they sought medical help. After a year filled with hospital visits, Josh was diagnosed with high-functioning autism, a condition on the spectrum that affects the ability to communicate and socialise. The diagnosis was the turning point for Kathy and Andrew who decided that saving their only child meant taking drastic steps as a family. They quit their jobs to take him on a “Birding Big Year”: 365 days to spot and document 1000 species of birds. And so began a year of adventure that would eventually save Josh and provide him with much-needed purpose. Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv