JOHANNESBURG –
El Niño
From cyclones in the Pacific and deadly floods in the USA to soaring temperatures fuelling Central American and Southern African droughts and raging fires in Australia, the planet is reeling in the wake of extreme weather conditions. A new El Niño phenomenon has gripped the world’s weather patterns and triggered a large-scale humanitarian crisis. Carte Blanche investigates this radical climate cycle. Producer: Liz Fish, Presenter: John Webb, Researcher: Tony Beamish.
Ticket to Mars
Why live on Earth when you can live on Mars? Strictly speaking, it’s not that simple. From extreme cold to an atmosphere so thin that skin and organs would rupture without a spacesuit and a continual bombardment of deadly solar radiation, Mars is hostile to human life. Yet NASA plans to send astronauts to the red planet and private company Mars One has volunteers who want to go there and never come back. Carte Blanche asks – is sending humans to Mars the most extraordinary thing that will happen this century? Producer: Graham Phillips.
Randlocked
Would you pay R280 for a burger? It may sound outrageous, but if you are a South African travelling through London, this is how much a Nando’s burger would set you back right now. How about an entrance ticket for entry to a German museum at a cool R510? The Rand has plummeted to all-time lows against international currencies, leaving South Africans stranded at home. Has international travel become near impossible for rand-locked South African travellers, or can you still get some bang for your buck in India, Thailand or Bali? Carte Blanche explores your options. Producer: Bernadette Maguire, Presenter: Derek Watts.
Water Angels
For many South Africans, the water crisis has reached rock bottom. But, while the country remains in the grip of a severe drought, relief has come from all corners. Social media awareness efforts have rallied schools, companies and private individuals to distribute water and animal feed to some of the Free State’s hardest hit areas in a desperate effort to save people and dying animals. Carte Blanche meets “average” South Africans whose tireless efforts are making a radical difference to those in need. Producer: Sasha Schwendenwein, Presenter: Devi Sankaree Govender.
* Line-ups are subject to change. Find updates on www.facebook.com/carteblanchetv, www.twitter.com/carteblanchetv or follow Carte Blanche on WeChat. Stories can be viewed at www.carteblanche.co.za
