African – and South African – animation is officially among the best in the world! Revolting Rhymes – which was animated by South Africa’s Triggerfish and a Berlin company – won Best Animation at the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Awards) Children’s Awards last night in London, beating off strong competition from The Amazing World […]

On Saturday Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden hosted a farewell to Johnny Clegg. Johnny, who has played at the Garden for the past 10 years, agreed to bring his Final Journey Tour to the Garden. Robyn Gwilt was there to capture these awesome photos. Clegg was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago and is currently in remission. It […]

Here’s this week’s Carte Blanche line-up, available for South Africans in SA on Sunday and for expats from Tuesday through Showmax International… Abalone Poaching Abalone poaching is rampant and it’s driving shellfish to extinction in South Africa. We catch poachers red-handed, brazenly diving in broad daylight with bags of abalone. Carte Blanche asks: why are authorities […]

There have been so many awesome versions of Toto’s Africa – from the hand-rubbing version of Africa by Angel City Chorale in Los Angeles, to the lip-synced version by Hollywood stars, and the Castle lager production that made expats want to return home… but you probably haven’t see this one, which is slightly different!   […]

Here’s one more brilliant ‘morning drive’ video from Chad Chitter, from the Cape Flats – also known as DJ Skouers, and renowned for lifting moods. As he says, we should aim for “a higher positivity… and a lower negativity”. Yesterday a video of Chad singing in the car on 10 November went viral… but unfortunately […]

In a small classroom learners from Masiphumelele are learning a new skill: playing the violin. The outreach program, that takes place on the campus of non-profit organisation Masiphumelele Corporation, is run by Titia Blake. “I’m trying to teach children to do what I do, and that is to play for weddings and functions,” she says. […]

Here’s this week’s extended 90-minute Carte Blanche line-up, available for South Africans in SA on Sunday and for expats from Tuesday on Showmax International. Stock Theft Usually when a criminal is sentenced to serve time behind bars, that marks the end of his unlawful activities. But one scamster in the Free State has been running a […]

Showmax has just released the first trailer for their debut original series, Tali’s Wedding Diary, a mockumentary starring Julia Anastasopoulos… known and loved by South Africans around the world as SuzelleDIY. Premiering on 14 December 2017 (South Africans abroad can also watch on Showmax), Tali’s Wedding Diary follows a self-obsessed Sandton princess (Julia) who’s moved to Cape Town and is […]

The official trailer for ‘Zulu Wedding’, the much anticipated romantic-comedy from producer/director Lineo Sekeleoane, has just been released! Watch it right here: Watch the Zulu Wedding – official trailer https://youtu.be/sP2IXewPkw0 The film will be released nationwide on Friday, 23 February 2018, by Ster Kinekor Entertainment. Unashamedly romantic, glamorous and hilarious all at the same time, the film […]

South African actress Lara Lipschitz has won the award for Best Actress at the New York City Web Fest, which was held over the weekend in the USA. “I’m bringing that trophy home!” Lara wrote excitedly on her public facebook page. Lara entered with her series ‘Chin Up’ (watch a couple of episodes below), a […]

Engen has done it again! Remember the cool video last year when the petrol attendants in Cape Town performed a brilliantly choreographed song and dance? Well, last week they produced a similarly awesome video to put a smile on South Africans’ faces – a flashmob at Engen 1 Stop Winelands surprised motorists stopping by on the […]

Here’s this week’s extended 90-minute Carte Blanche line-up, available for South Africans in SA on Sunday and for expats from Tuesday by subscribing to Showmax International. Opioid Substitution Therapy Heroin is one of the most addictive drugs in the world and millions of addicts are simply unable to overcome the addiction. In South Africa, heroin rehabilitation […]

Worth thousands each on the black market, the pangolin is the most trafficked mammal in the world… and is now teetering on the brink of extinction, with South Africa being at the centre of the tragedy. “Across Africa, over a million have been removed from the wild over the last decade and South Africa is […]

South African author Jacques Pauw has posted a message Sunday on what people should do who have downloaded illegal PDF copies of his explosive new book about President Jacob Zuma and the ANC, “The President’s Keepers”. He writes: “I have been inundated with requests from people who want to pay me for the free PDF […]

Here’s this week’s Carte Blanche line-up, available for South Africans in SA on Sunday and for expats from Tuesday if you subscribe to Showmax International… (watch trailer below). Western Cape Water Shortage Western Cape dam levels are at a 100-year low and Cape Town is set to run out of water very soon. Thousands of tourists […]

South Africa’s legendary actor John Kani is joining a star-studded cast – led by Beyonce – for the remake of Lion King, which is set for release in July 2019. The 74-year-old actor, director and playwright has been given the role of Rafiki. (Robert Guillaume, who played the part in the 1994 original, passed away […]

Here’s this week’s Carte Blanche line-up, available for South Africans in SA on Sunday and for expats from Tuesday, if you subscribe to Showmax International. Superstar the Octopus: An Unlikely Friendship For six years citizen scientist Craig Foster has been diving into the underwater kelp forests of Simonstown until he developed an unlikely relationship with […]

Check out the trailer for Hollywood movie star Ethan Hawke’s latest movie – ’24 Hours to Live’ – filmed in South Africa. The action-packed movie is a fast-paced thriller about a career assassin (Hawke) who is given a chance at redemption after his employer temporarily brings him back to life… after being killed on the […]

For the first time in SA television history, an exclusive food series will explore the work and world of South Africa’s first Michelin-star chef, Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen and chart his journey from growing up on a farm in Mpumalanga to opening a restaurant in the capital of the culinary world on the French Riviera. […]

The world famous Namaqualand daisies draw thousands of tourists every year, but they are under threat from phosphate mines in the area… Elandsfontein Phosphate Mine In 2016 current affairs programme Carte Blanche showed how the controversial Elandsfontein Phosphate Mine was granted a mining license, even though the Department of Mineral Resources had rejected the application […]

Finding love isn’t as simple as planting corn, caring for cattle or keeping horses – and it’s this massive challenge that has got people hooked on Boer Soek ’n Vrou, kykNET’s hit reality series. Watch now » In the tenth season, Minki van der Westhuizen returns to help 10 farmers find lasting love. The season […]

Here’s this Sunday’s Carte Blanche line-up, available for South Africans abroad to watch just two days after it airs in SA… if they’re subscribers of Showmax International. (Watch the trailer below.)  Brain Cancer Hunters The glioblastoma is an aggressive form of brain cancer and it’s very difficult to treat. The survival rate for patients beyond two […]

‘Bush racing’ is becoming increasingly popular in South Africa… at a huge cost to the retired racing horses that are suffering major abuse and trauma. This is one of the segments coming up on Carte Blanche‎ this evening (Sunday) in South Africa, and from Tuesday for South African expats living abroad who subscribe to Showmax […]

Legendary South African musician Hugh Masekela has cancelled his forthcoming appearances to focus on improving his health, as he battles prostate cancer. Last month he had cancelled concerts to recover from an operation to “improve his eyesight” but yesterday he revealed in a statement that he has been battling prostate cancer since 2008. He urged […]

In 2007, barely a year after the man who went on to become South Africa’s president, Jacob Zuma, was acquitted on a charge of raping a young woman called “Khwezi” (the name given to Fezekile Ntsukela Kuzwayo during her rape trial), gender activist Mmatshilo Motsei published “The Kanga and the Kangaroo Court”. The book was an unsparing account […]