Carte Blanche: Buried lies
The exposé, titled A Pauper's Grave: Unmarked and Temporary , highlights disturbing instances involving fraudulent documents, botched cremations, and funeral homes that failed to uphold the dignity that should accompany death.
The report raises serious concerns about accountability in the funeral industry and the emotional toll on families left to mourn under a cloud of confusion and betrayal.
Carte Blanche is a South African investigative journalism television series that airs on M-Net every Sunday at 19:00.
Its first episode aired on 21 August 1988 and over the last 34-plus years has earned credibility among South African viewers for its investigation into corruption, consumer issues, and current events.
Follow The South African website on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Get everything you need to know on the go at your convenience!
Stay in touch by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by sending and email to info@thesouthafrican.com or a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
38 minutes ago
- The Citizen
‘Detective' cons Pinetown pensioners out of R500K in elaborate bank card scam
An elderly couple from Pinetown, KZN, is left shattered after losing R500 000 to a woman posing as a police detective in an elaborate scam. Donald Bristol (87) told the Highway Mail he received a call from a woman introducing herself as Detective Mudalay from the SAPS. She claimed his bank cards had been cloned and needed to visit him personally. 'I notified security at my residential complex to allow her access. She arrived at my flat, presented herself professionally and explained the alleged card cloning issue in detail,' said Bristol. The woman told him the case was being handled in co-ordination with the Pinetown SAPS and requested his bank debit and cheque cards, including Pins, as well as his cellphone, saying it was needed for the investigation. 'I complied with her request but never gave her my Pin. I have never used any form of online banking before,' he said. Over the following days, the scammer contacted Bristol on his wife's phone, instructing him not to speak to anyone as it could compromise the investigation. On May 9, she asked him to meet her at a bank in Josiah Gumede Road to receive new bank cards and collect his cellphone. When the couple arrived, the woman called again, insisting they meet her outside but was nowhere to be found. Inside the bank, staff checked Bristol's account and discovered he had been defrauded, with multiple unauthorised transactions at grocery shops, liquor outlets and designer clothing stores. When the couple reported the scam at Pinetown SAPS, they provided CCTV footage of the impersonator entering their residential complex. More than two months later, they say they have received no assistance. 'We do not know how this woman got my contact details and address. We do not even have family in the country; my family is overseas,' said Bristol. Pinetown SAPS communications officer Jennifer Naidu confirmed a fraud case is under investigation. 'The investigating officer has obtained video footage and met the complainant to gather further information. Police are following leads,' said Naidu. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
Why so many of Cape Town's street lights don't work
While Cape Town is often recognised for having better service delivery than other South African cities, a common frustration persists for many residents: non-functioning street lights. Between 26 May and 25 June 2025, the City's energy teams repaired nearly 12 000 faulty street lights. In spite of this effort, it represents only a portion of the 35 900 energy-related service requests that were logged during that period. According to the City of Cape Town, vandalism, cable theft, and illegal electricity connections are the leading causes of widespread street light failures across the metro. These problems are particularly costly, often requiring full replacements of damaged infrastructure – an intensive process that can take several hours or even days. 'We have various interventions to reduce the risk of these crimes, but as always, we need the help of our residents to report suspicious activity of their neighbourhood power infrastructure,' said the City's Mayco Member for Energy, Xanthea Limberg. The City's Energy Directorate also pointed to severe winter weather as a contributing factor. Persistent storms and intense rainfall throughout June contributed to a rise in reported outages. 'Wet and windy weather often increases the number of service requests,' added Limberg. 'It also slows down turnaround times as it is typically dangerous for our teams to do electrical work in those conditions.' The worst-hit area during this reporting period was Area East – which includes Helderberg, Oostenberg, Bloemhof, and Parow. Energy-related requests attended to in the Cape Town metro were as follows: EAST NORTH SOUTH Helderberg, Oostenberg, Bloemhof, Parow Vanguard, Mowbray, City, Atlantis Mitchells Plain, Wynberg, Gugulethu, Muizenberg 4 732 3 632 3 498 The City of Cape Town has asked residents to report suspicious behaviour to the City's Public Emergency Communication Centre (021 480 7700), and to remember that the SAPS remains the lead authority in crime prevention. For service requests, residents should first log a request online or phone 086 0103 089 (Option 3). Alternatively, email power@ Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
Three arrested over ATM card scam in Mpumalanga
Police in Standerton, Mpumalanga, arrested three suspects aged between 33 and 47 on Friday, 18 July 2025, in connection with an ATM card scam. The arrests followed a chase on the R39 road between Morgenzon and Standerton. At around 12:30, a security company responded to a complaint about a card scam at an ATM at a local filling station. CCTV footage captured the suspects and their vehicle, prompting police to patrol the area. The suspects attempted to flee when spotted, but officers intercepted them swiftly. Police found several bank cards in possession of the suspects from Daveyton. Police confiscated the vehicle believed to have been used in the crime. The Standerton District Court will hear the case of the three men on Monday, 21 July 2025. Police are investigating whether the suspects are linked to other similar crimes. The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, applauded both the police officers and the security company for their swift action and collaboration in apprehending the suspects. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
