Carte Blanche: Hot copper – WATCH

The 9 November episode of Carte Blanche uncovers a shadow industry built around massive copper heists involving well-organised syndicates, smugglers, and silent buyers.

What began as petty theft by small-time scrap hunters has now evolved into a sophisticated criminal network targeting vital infrastructure.

Copper, often described as the lifeblood of modern systems, is being ripped out of power grids, communication lines, and transport networks, crippling essential services.

The investigation tracks how stolen copper worth millions of rand feeds into a lucrative black market that ultimately serves the global demand for the metal.

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.