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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦

@owlarcana.bsky.social
642 followers 404 following 158 posts

Editor at @carteblanche.co.za and relentless news junkie. Often staring at the ceiling at 3 in the morning. Owns two cats but wants to own them all. Perpetually playing catch-up on TV series from a decade ago.

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Reposted by Owl Arcana 🇿🇦
Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 14/09/2025
Yoh! One farmer we spoke to ended up giving a lock and key to cigarette smugglers so they would stop cutting his fences while crossing his farm. Authorities simply don't have the manpower to deal with this. #CarteBlanche
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 14/09/2025
Near Beitbridge border post lies an abandoned 5000-hectare farm with a 12-bedroom hunting lodge. Nine months ago, the owner was forced off his R40-million property by a cigarette smuggling syndicate. #CarteBlanche
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
A thousand packs of cigarettes are carried by a smuggler in one run, contained into master cases. At roughly R26 tax each, that’s a minimum of R26 000 in lost revenue for the state every time a carrier does a drop-off. #CarteBlanche
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
The real cost of illicit cigarette smuggling? Roughly R20 billion in tax per year. Money that could've gone towards education, health and basic infrastructure. #CarteBlanche
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 14/09/2025
This fish processing facility at Hout Bay Harbour was burnt down during a protest years ago. Fish factory owner Sean Walker's been begging government since 2018 to allow him to rebuild it... #CarteBlanche
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 14/09/2025
For the past 15 years, the Department of Public Works - now headed by Minister @DeanMacpherson - has been promising to upgrade Hout Bay Harbour. To date, very little has been done. #CarteBlanche
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 14/09/2025
Hout Bay Harbour is loved by tourists and locals. Is turning this historic fishing village into another high-end V&A Waterfront the answer to saving the harbourr #CarteBlanche 1️⃣ Yes 2️⃣ No 3️⃣ Unsure 📊 Show results
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 31/08/2025
Selling alcohol flavouring isn't illegal. But the legality depends on what it's intended for. Leon Strydom sells flavours for Hennessy, Jameson and popular vodka brands and even gives advice on how to make counterfeit drinks. #CarteBlanche #SouthAfrica
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 04/09/2025
From sneakers to cigarettes, counterfeits are everywhere - even your favourite drink. And counterfeit alcohol may be sitting on shelves at your local liquor store. #CarteBlanche investigates. Find the full story now on DStv Stream and Catch Up. #SouthAfrica #Cocktail
dstv.com
Bogus booze
These days, there’s really nothing that can’t be counterfeited – from sneakers and T-shirts to handbags and cigarettes. Our shops are awash with fake products; a vast underground economy with links to organised crime. So, it’s not surprising that your favourite tipple can be faked too. But what you might not expect to hear is that counterfeit alcohol could be on the shelves at your local, suburban liquor store. For the full story, get DStv Stream Premium: https://bit.ly/DStv-Stream
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Reposted by Owl Arcana 🇿🇦
Daily Maverick @dailymaverick.co.za · 11/08/2025
Tanzanian authorities have put opposition leader Tundu Lissu on trial for treason, a charge that carries the death penalty — but it is not the first time that the country’s apparatus of repression has tried to kill him.
dailymaverick.co.za
AFRICA UNSCRAMBLED OP-ED: Tanzania’s ruling party seeks to rid itself of the ‘troublesome’ Tundu Lissu
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 10/08/2025
The Joburg Property Company insists Marks Park and various other public green spaces are not for sale, their documents say otherwise. A day after this interview, the City withdrew its application. #CarteBlanche
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Reposted by Owl Arcana 🇿🇦
Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 10/08/2025
At first glance, Napier looks like any small sleepy town in South Africa. But spend a bit of time here and you’ll find that it’s home to the unexpected. It’s the colourful characters who live here now who bring this town to life; like 71-year-old Roger Lucey. #CarteBlanche @ermbates.bsky.social
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johnedwinmason @johnedwinmason.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
Books, books, & more books. Plenty of booksellers, too. From Johannesburg, South Africa, a slice of the city's life that will surprise you & delight you. From the excellent @carteblanche.co.za. youtu.be/P4W9Y-1IhXs
youtu.be
Books galore! | Carte Blanche | M-Net
YouTube video by Carte Blanche
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Reposted by Owl Arcana 🇿🇦
Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 11/08/2025
The deliberate killing of five Al Jazeera staff has brought the total number of journalists killed by Israel since the start of the war to 237, according to Gaza's Government Media Office. 🔴 LIVE updates:
aje.io
Israel murders five Al Jazeera staff in Gaza, including Anas al-Sharif
Al-Sharif was killed along with Mohammed Qreiqeh two cameramen and an assistant in an Israeli attack on Gaza City.
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 27/07/2025
This was such a huge victory for us! We cannot be silenced and this past week's precedent-setting judgment ensures no medical professional can gag media again. #CarteBlanche
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 24/07/2025
Nearly two years after our exposé on rogue SANDF operatives, arrests have been made. The case echoes our findings and raises alarm over secret forces, rule of law, and whistleblower safety. Watch the full story now on DStv Stream and Catch Up. @opensecrets.org.za #CarteBlanche
dstv.com
SANDF: Open secrets revisited
Nearly two years ago, we brought you a chilling story about an alleged rogue unit operating within the National Defence Force. Investigations suggested that highly trained, dangerous members of the Special Forces were operating above the law, involved in kidnapping, torture and even murder. Then, in June, news broke that several SANDF members - including Special Forces operatives - had been arrested. The State’s case appears to include elements revealed in our own investigation. It’s a story unfolding in real time, with widespread implications for the rule of law, the operation of secret armed forces in our country and vulnerable whistleblowers.For the full story, get DStv Stream Premium: https://bit.ly/DStv-Stream
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
The physician was able to deny care due to Tennessee's Medical Ethics Defence Act, which took effect in April. The law allows medical personnel to deny care based on their religious or moral beliefs. It is the first documented case of a woman being denied healthcare for being unwed in the country.
meidasnews.com
Tennessee Woman Denied Prenatal Care Because She is Unmarried
Tennessee is already the worst state for maternal mortality
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
Sadleir recently made headlines for forcing WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram owner Meta Platforms to disclose the information of users posting explicit content of South African school children. #CarteBlanche #News
mybroadband.co.za
The South African lawyer that forced a US tech giant to disclose information about explicit content
The attorney, author, and events speaker recently made headlines following a landmark ruling against Meta Platforms.
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
In a shock twist, Amber Lee Hughes has now admitted to killing her ex’s four-year-old daughter, Nada-Jane Challita. #SouthAfrica #News
news24.com
UPDATE | Nada-Jane’s killer now admits she drowned child in the bath | News24
In a shock twist, Amber Lee Hughes has now admitted to killing her ex’s four-year-old daughter, Nada-Jane Challita.
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Reposted by Owl Arcana 🇿🇦
Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 22/07/2025
A massive win for media freedom! Join #CarteBlanche this Sunday at 7pm on M-Net channel 101 as we finally bring you our investigation into a doctor alleged to be performing unnecessary, life-altering procedures on patients' hearts.
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The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 13/06/2025
Trump’s second term is being documented without writing down the words.. The White House has pulled official transcripts, leaving future historians (and the public) in the dark. buff.ly/WHnhrI0 #USPolitics #Trump #History
buff.ly
From Washington’s burned letters to Trump’s missing transcripts, partial presidential records limit people’s full understanding of history
A nation’s history is told by its records. The White House no longer publishing Trump’s full remarks makes this history less complete.
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Reuters @reuters.com · 12/06/2025
BREAKING: An Air India plane crashed at the airport in India's western city of Ahmedabad, television channels reported. The plane was headed to London's Gatwick airport. Follow Reuters live coverage: reut.rs/3TlgyUc
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
At a time when Europe is in a heightened state of alarm over what security agencies across the continent call Russia’s “hybrid war” of sabotage and espionage, Reuters found an emerging trend: Moscow is increasingly recruiting teenagers and complete novices.
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 12/06/2025
Sodwana Bay, a top diving spot, was shaken last year by the disappearance of beloved fisherman John 'Matambu' Dercksen. What seemed to be an accident soon turned into a murder case. Watch the full story now on DStv Stream and Catch Up. #CarteBlanche
youtu.be
John Matambu Dercksen: The last cast| Carte Blanche | M-Net
YouTube video by Carte Blanche
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 12/06/2025
JUST IN: The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has ruled that the multi-million rand Nulane investment matter be retried before a different judge. The order comes after the shameful 2023 acquittal that left the NPA with egg on its face. #CarteBlanche
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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 10/06/2025
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has been pictured on a plane after Israel’s Foreign Ministry said they had deported her. Thunberg was one of 12 people on board the Madleen aid ship, which was seized by the military while attempting to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
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GroundUp News @groundup.org.za · 10/06/2025
The Road Accident Fund is losing millions in default court judgments. A default court judgment occurs when the respondent, the RAF in this case, fails to defend against a claim. Read groundup.org.za/article/road... by Tania Broughton
groundup.org.za
Road Accident Fund is wasting millions on “chaotic” court cases
Lawyers aren’t sent to court, resulting in default judgments
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The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 10/06/2025
⚡️ Russia to help North Korea produce Shahed-type drones, Ukraine's spy chief says. Shahed drones could enable North Korea to strike targets across South Korea, potentially overwhelming air defenses, and could also assist Russia in its war against Ukraine, the War Zone wrote.
kyivindependent.com
Russia to help North Korea produce Shahed-type drones, Ukraine's spy chief says
Shahed drones could enable North Korea to strike targets across South Korea, potentially overwhelming air defenses, and could also assist Russia in its war against Ukraine.
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Reposted by Owl Arcana 🇿🇦
Princess Pretty Girl @princessprettygirl.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
good morning everyone who's ready for another exhausting week of doing their best in a horrifying hellscape!
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Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
Graphs that paint the picture of HIV in SA | More people are living with HIV but dramatically fewer are dying of HIV-related causes – we’ve gone from 281 000 HIV-related deaths in 2005/2006 to 53 000 in 2023/2024. This is largely due to antiretroviral medicines. spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/06/09/i...
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 10/06/2025
"The men were told they would not be working and instead would sign a one-year contract to join the Russian military and serve on the front lines of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine."
telegraph.co.uk
Russia hired African farmers to make shampoo, then sent them to war
Desperate migrants lured to Moscow by fake job adverts are used to bolster Putin’s depleted invasion forces
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 08/06/2025
Tonight, we planned to air a programme about allegations made by patients against a medical practitioner. He's taken legal action to stop the broadcast and it’s now in the hands of the courts. We’ll keep you updated. #CarteBlanche
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
Trust me when I say: this show is going to be a real eye-opener. I'm thrilled to see Govan doing his own thing! But fret not - he's still very much part of the #CarteBlanche family.
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
So, let's just clarify: police know about these syndicates, they even know some of the alleged kidnappers and extortionists by name, but they're unable to act? Make it make sense! #CarteBlanche
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
This story was tough to tell. Not only because of graphic images of an inmate beaten to a pulp, but because it raises a moral dilemma. Honestly, I don't know where I stand on this. Our judicial system shouldn't be a law unto itself, but what does one expect in a country riddled with violent crime?
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
It's an extremely disturbing story, yet beautifully told by #CarteBlanche super-producer @marionedmunds.bsky.social. Whether or not he was a gangster, this story emphasises that we cannot allow our judicial system to become a law unto itself.
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
Even if you're not into classical music, this story produced by Matuba Mahlatjie is a work of pure beauty. Exceptional scripting, glorious music, and that South African flair that truly sets our country apart. #CarteBlanche
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Julian Rademeyer @julianrademeyer.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
Notorious South African gang boss Ralph Stanfield has leveraged his criminal notoriety on the streets to achieve something exceptional in the South African prison system: rapid induction into the 28s prison gang. This and more in the Global Initiative's Western Cape Gang Monitor
globalinitiative.net
Western Cape gang monitor - Issue 5
The past quarter has seen major incidents of taxi and gang-related violence, concentrated in areas such as Vrygrond, Hanover Park and Ottery. Our research team has started a mapping exercise, gatherin...
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
What a voice, what a loss.
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Overall, I think things went pretty well. Ramaphosa had a tough balancing act before him; play too much into Trump's game of lunacy and things are bound to go off the rails. But not play at all, and Trump's claims are given more oxygen. #SouthAfrica
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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 20/05/2025
BREAKING: UN says about 100 trucks approved to enter Gaza today. 🔴 LIVE updates: aje.io/p881mb
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
What could go wrong? 👀
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Owl Arcana 🇿🇦 @owlarcana.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
It's about damn time! I just wish the majority of medical practitioners could stop minimising women's pain. When we say it hurts, it HURTS. Listen to us! #WomensHealth #Health
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Carte Blanche @carteblanche.co.za · 20/05/2025
Over the years, #CarteBlanche has reported on the plight of our endangered vultures many times, underscoring the vital role they play in the ecosystem. - www.dstv.com/m-net/en-za/... - www.dstv.com/m-net/en-za/... - www.dstv.com/m-net/en-za/...
dstv.com
Voyage to the vultures
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟳 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯. It’s a vulnerable species but in Limpopo’s Blouberg Nature Reserve, the Cape vulture has found a home. High in the mountains, some 1400 breeding pairs...
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