LYDENBURG – Carte Blanche, M-Net’s flagship actuality programme, recently reacted to the plea of residents about the disastrous state of Thaba Chweu Municipality.
The crew paid a visit to the town on Monday morning. They were “welcomed” by the chaotic R36 into Lydenburg. They told the newspaper that the state of the road was, to say the least, a complete nightmare. “It took us 40 minutes to drive to town dodging all the potholes.”
Producer Bernadette Maguire, presenter Bonita Nuttall and cameraman Piet Snyman took to the streets to film all the dilapidated infrastructure.
Nuttal interviewed Cllr Farhad Essack regarding the lack of service delivery in TCM. She questioned him on the apparent R1-sale that took place between Thaba Chweu and Mr Samora Molatje of Full Output.
The team proceeded to discuss several other issues regarding electricity outages, water shortages and the R168 million owing to Eskom. Essack informed Carte Blanche that TCM not only owed the service provider millions, but that other company had issued notices of attachment of the municipality’s assets because of non-payment.
Nuttall interviewed two local women who were responsible for the team’s visit.
Ms MC Pretorius and Ms Mariska du Toit had sent several emails to Carte Blanche accompanied by pictures of contaminated water, raw sewage and illegal dump sites.
The crew stopped at the offices of Steelburger/Lydenburg News on Tuesday where they had a look at the various articles published about the state of the town and the mismanagement of TCM. They were shocked to learn that the water and electricity problems facing the town were not the only crises being experienced by residents. Sewage leaks, the overflow of the dump site and illegal dumping were brought to the attention of the investigative crew.
Afterward the visit, they had an interview with the acting municipal manager,
Mr Godfrey Nkosi in the hope of being provided with some answers regarding the total collapse of infrastructure and the lack of the most basic service-delivery issues.
Carte Blanche has become an institution among South African television audiences since the programme’s inception in 1988. The show consistently ranks in the top 10 on M-Net and enjoys a local viewership of more than 500 000 a week.
The programme has developed a high degree of credibility in South African television journalism and has been honoured with more than 100 local and international awards for quality stories that have made a difference.
Broadcast for the Lydenburg show is scheduled for Sunday March 30 at 19:00.
