# Carte Blanche (TV series)

Carte Blanche is a South African investigative journalism television series that airs on television network M-Net Sundays at night. It premiered in 1988 and focuses on investigation into corruption, consumer issues and current events.

## History

Carte Blanche began its broadcast in 1988, anchored by Derek Watts and Ruda Landman. Landman left the show in 2007; the same year Bongani Bingwa became a presenter.
In January 2010, two spinoff series, Carte Blanche Medical and Carte Blanche Consumer, began. Carte Blanche Medical premiered on 18 January 2010 and was anchored by Bongani Bingwa, while Carte Blanche Consumer, premiering on 24 January 2010, was anchored by Devi Sankaree Govender. Both series, which ran for four seasons, were cancelled in 2011. Shortly thereafter, on 24 January 2011, Carte Blanche Extra launched, but was cancelled after only airing 10 episodes.
To celebrate 25 years on air on 1 September 2013, Carte Blanche broadcast from the Telkom Joburg Tower in Hillbrow, closed to the public in 1981 during a state of emergency. A book Carte Blanche 25: The Stories Behind the Stories was published, looking at memorable moments behind the scenes of South Africa's longest running current affairs show.
A Carte Blanche channel featuring coverage of the Trial of Oscar Pistorius was launched on DStv on 2 March 2014.

## Presenters

* Derek Watts (1988–2023) †
* Ruda Landman (1988-2007)
* Devi Sankaree Govender (2002–2020)
* John Webb (2004 - 2022)
* Bonita Nuttall (2007–2015)
* Bongani Bingwa (2007–2023)
* Claire Mawisa (2015–present)
* Macfarlane Moleli (2018–present)
* Masa Kekana (2020–present)
* Erin Bates (2023–present)
* Govan Whittles (2023–present)
* Lourensa Eckard (2023–present)
* Xola Ntshinga (2023–present)

## Carte Blanche Making a Difference Trust

To celebrate 20 years on air in 2008, Carte Blanche launched the Making a Difference (MAD) Trust to raise funds for specialised paediatric units in selected state hospitals and several welfare organisations across South Africa. The Trust has undertaken major paediatric ward revitalisation and capital building projects around the country and has completed over 20 projects to date.
Apart from several infrastructural upgrades at two child welfare organisations, the Carte Blanche Making a Difference Trust has in previous years supported feeding schemes and assisted in providing food parcels and managing supplies at Inchanga in KZN and Johannesburg Child Welfare and Johannesburg Parent and Child Counselling Centres in greater Johannesburg and at Hartebeespoort Dam in the North-West province.

### Major Projects
#### Sebokeng Regional Hospital

* Paediatric Emergency Unit
* Paediatric Lower High Care Unit
* Dedicated Paediatric High Care Wards

#### Ngwelezana Hospital

* Paediatric Burns Outpatient Department

#### Tygerberg Hospital

* Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Units

#### Kimberley Provincial Hospital

* Paediatric ICU

#### Frere Hospital

* Paediatric Theatre

#### King Edward VII Hospital

* BHP Billiton Paediatric Centre of Excellence

#### Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital

* Paediatric Facilities Upgrade

#### Polokwane Hospital

* Neonatal ICU Improvements

#### George Hospital

* New Equipment and Facility Modernisation

#### Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital

* Paediatric High Care Ward
* Equipment Upgrades
* New Doctors' Rooms

## Notable Awards

| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 2024 | Govan Whittles | SAFTA: Best TV Presenter | Nominated |
| 2024 | Carte Blanche | Whistleblower Award | Won |
| 2024 | Nicky Troll: Shauwn Mkhize | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - Regional | Won |
| 2024 | Carol Albertyn Christie: Msunduzi's Own Goal | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - Regional | Won |
| 2024 | Catherine Rice: Knysna's Collapse | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - Regional | Won |
| 2024 | Nicky Troll: Codeine Chemist & Liquid Gold | Sikuvile Journalist Awards | Won |
| 2024 | Carte Blanche: The Podcast | AIB International Awards | Nominated |
| 2023 | Derek Watts | Vodacom Journalist of the Year: Lifetime Achievement Award | Won |
| 2023 | Harri Vithi: Parties and Puppets | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - National | Won |
| 2023 | Tarryn Crossman: Finding Zuko Nonxuba | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - Regional | Won |
| 2023 | Sipha Kema: Decades of War | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - Regional | Won |
| 2022 | Derek Watts | SAFTA: Lifetime Achievement Award | Won |
| 2022 | Carte Blanche | SAFTA: Best Current Affairs Programme | Won |
| 2022 | Nicky Troll: Mining Takedown | SAFTA: Best Current Affairs Story | Won |
| 2021 | Carte Blanche | SAFTA: Best Current Affairs Programme | Won |
| 2021 | Nicky Troll: Mining Takedown | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - National | Won |
| 2021 | Latashia Naidoo: Crypto Heist | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - National | Won |
| 2021 | Sasha Schwendenwein: What the Fog, MTI & Mr Shopper | Sanlam Financial Journalism Award - Video Category | Won |
| 2020 | Carte Blanche | Best of Joburg - Best Local TV Programme | Won |
| 2020 | Joy Summers: Citrus & Bullets | Sanlam Financial Journalism Award - Video Category | Won |
| 2020 | Carte Blanche | SAFTA: Best Current Affairs Programme | Won |
| 2020 | Tarryn Crossman: Menacing Midwife | Taco Kuiper Award for Investigative Journalism | Nominated |
| 2019 | Sasha Schwendenwein: Follow the Guns | Genesis Award - Brigitte Bardot International Award | Won |
| 2019 | Sasha Schwendenwein: Illegal Chicken Abattoir | Genesis Award - Brigitte Bardot International Award | Won |
| 2019 | Sasha Schwendenwein: Follow the Guns | SADC Media Awards: Television | Won |
| 2019 | John Webb: Palm Oil | SAB Environmental Award: Short Form/Video | Won |
| 2019 | Nicky Troll: JRA is Falling Down | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - Regional | Nominated |
| 2019 | Carte Blanche | Best of Joburg: Best Local TV Programme | Won |
| 2019 | Carol Albertyn Christie: Crashes Not Accidents | Diageo Responsible Drinking Media Awards: Journalist of the Year | Won |
| 2018 | Sasha Schwendenwein: uMhlatuze Water Board | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - Regional | Won |
| 2018 | Nicola De Chaud: Being Transgender | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - Regional | Won |
| 2018 | Annalise Lubbe: Abalone Poaching | Vodacom Journalist of the Year - Regional | Won |
| 2018 | Sasha Schwendenwein: Illegal Chicken Abattoir | SAB Environmental Award: TV & Online | Won |
| 2018 | Sasha Schwendenwein: Follow the Guns | SAB Environmental Award: TV & Online | Won |
| 2018 | Joy Summers: Lion Bones | SAB Environmental Award: TV & Online | Won |
| 2018 | Carte Blanche: Best News & Current Affairs Promo | ProMax Africa Awards | Won |
| 2018 | Carte Blanche: Title Sequence | ProMax Africa Awards | Won |
| 2018 | Carte Blanche: Best Documentary & Factual Entertainment Promo | ProMax Africa Awards | Won |
| 2017 | Sasha Schwendenwein: Dirty Rivers | SAB Environmental Awards: Video | Won |
| 2017 | Anna-Maria van Niekerk & Marzanne van den Berg | SAB Environmentnal Journalist of the Year | Won |
| 2017 | Carol Albertyn Christie | SAB Environmental Journalist of the Year | Won |
| 2017 | Michael Duffett: Doctors' Working Hours | Discovery Health Journalist: Best TV Health Journalism | Won |
| 2017 | Anna-Maria van Niekerk: Missing Millions | Discovery Health Journalist: Best TV Journalist of the Year | Won |