Carte Blanche, M-Net’s flagship current affairs actuality programme, received all three of the 2016 South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) nominations, in the category of Best Current Affairs Actuality Programme. The nominations were announced on Thursday, 18 February.
The inserts that nabbed the SAFTA nominations are Black Market Mining, produced by Chwayitisa Futshane, presented by Bongani Bingwa; Dying For Water In Madibeng, produced by Joy Summers, presented by Bongani Bingwa and Insurance Taken For A Ride, produced by Nicky Troll, presented by Devi Sankaree Govender.
With the Black Market Mining report, Carte Blanche delved into the world of the so-called Zama Zamas, illegal miners who crawl though tiny underground tunnels and breathe toxic dust for days on end to supply the black market trade.
Dying For Water In Madibeng exposed the mismanagement at a failing municipality in the North West that’s a billion rand in debt, with missing assets worth R1.5 billion. Carte Blanche investigated how “tendrepreneurs” drained the coffers with large, overpriced and inefficient infrastructure projects and how violent protests over water have led to several deaths.
In one of Carte Blanche’s biggest stings yet, Insurance Taken For A Ride showed how trucking companies offer quick-fix truck “make-overs” that fool insurance assessors into approving accident claims.
“Over the years Carte Blanche has garnered more than a hundred prestigious local and international awards, and making such a clean sweep at the SAFTAs once again underlines the Carte Blanche team’s excellence and dedication to giving South Africans 'the right to see it all’, says M-Net’s Head of Publicity, Lani Lombard. “It’s an honour to be recognised by your peers and we are very proud of everyone who worked on these inserts."
Carte Blanche is South Africa’s longest-running actuality programme. In addition to its fearless television journalism Carte Blanche has also done whatever it can to make a difference in South African society. With the Carte Blanche Making a Difference initiative, more than R120 million has been raised to equip and renovate paediatric theatres, ICUs and high care wards at state academic hospitals.
For more info about Carte Blanche, go to www.carteblanche.co.za